Normal Time
by Harmne
Summary: Stephanie is fed up and decides she needs some time off...somewhere far from Trenton. Stand-alone, not part of Agreement series or Divine Madness world.
1. Ch 1 Flash Point

_**Disclaimer: Characters you recognize belong to JE and are used without permission. The story and anyone new that shows up belong to me.**_

_A/N: To those of you following 'Divine Madness' - don't worry, I'm still working on it! This idea just keeps bugging me so I decided to get it started. This doesn't belong to the 'Agreement' series, or the 'Divine Madness' world…this one is all by itself._

_**Chapter One - Flash Point**_

Stephanie stood in the back of the parking lot just in front of the police cars, watching her apartment burn with simmering rage. It had only been ten months since the last time her apartment got destroyed and she was really tired of trying to replace her things. This time the fire-bomber had almost gotten her, too, since she'd gotten home right before the Molotov cocktail came through her window. She was singed and wet and huddled in a blanket shivering. There was fire extinguisher foam and soot in her hair and staining her face, hands, and clothes. The back of her throat hurt – partly from the smoke, and partly from screaming at Joe.

She and her long-time on-and-off boyfriend Detective Joe Morelli had parted ways about six months ago after the mother of all fights. After several weeks they'd cooled enough to be civil to each other but their friendship was still strained. Tonight he'd been among the first officers to arrive, and to give him credit his immediate concern had been for her safety. Unfortunately as soon as he'd seen she was okay he started yelling about her insane job and things had gone downhill from there. Big Dog and Carl had been forced to step in and separate them before they'd come to blows.

She probably could have taken all of it in stride if the bomber hadn't blown her car up yesterday. Twice in two days was more than even Stephanie Plum could handle. All she was left with now was her phone and her purse, which for once actually held her gun.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Ranger's Turbo slipping into a spot at the curb and she sighed. They'd gotten closer after her breakup with Joe and they'd become lovers for a while. But two months ago he'd disappeared without a word for what she later discovered was a government job, so she wasn't very happy with him, either.

"Are you okay, Babe?" he asked from just behind her.

She sighed and answered without turning around. "I'm okay. But my apartment it toast. I think it even got the bathroom this time."

"I heard your car got it yesterday. Sounds like you've had a busy week."

Stephanie started to turn and caught sight of Joe heading toward them. Carl was trying to run interference but he was barely slowing Joe down.

She could have handled it. She had handled confrontations between the two men many times – too many times. But tonight it was one problem too many and she blew up.

Joe had started in, as usual. He'd baited Ranger, asking where he'd been while his girlfriend was in danger. Ranger had bristled and made a cutting reply, and it had gone back and forth in the regular pattern. It wasn't until Ranger tried to steer Steph toward the Porsche that she erupted, and she rounded on both men.

"You know, I can take care of myself," she shouted, pulling her arm out of Ranger's loose grip. She turned to Joe. "You are NOT my boyfriend anymore and you have NO right to be yelling at me about anything! And you!" she turned on Ranger and surprised both men by stabbing a finger into his chest. "You just left me hanging for two damned months without a word! I don't need your help either!"

And she turned on her heel and went to Eddie.

"Eddie, would you give me a ride to my parents' house?"

Eddie shot a nervous look at the two angry men behind her. "Sure, Steph. No problem."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Stephanie's mother and grandmother were waiting at the door when Eddie's cruiser dropped her off in front of the house. Grandma Mazur was no fool; she took one look at Steph's face and posture and retreated to the safety of the living room. Stephanie's mom wasn't as perceptive.

"What's happened now, Stephanie? Susie Markowitz called and said your apartment building was on fire," she started in, and Stephanie's rage boiled over on her, too.

"The asshole that bombed my car yesterday decided to firebomb my apartment, Mom. And I was in the room when the Molotov cocktail exploded. My apartment is a total loss, _again_, but I'm okay – thanks for asking!"

She brushed past her shocked mother and stalked through the house, ignoring the wary looks from Grandma and her dad as she headed for the stairs and her old room.

_I can't do this anymore_, Steph thought as she dropped her purse on the bed, stripped out of her ruined jeans and shirt, and stuffed them into a trash bag. _I'm sick of trying to keep my head above water when every psycho in town knows my home address, the cops bet on me, and even my own mother never lets up. I need a break… a place no one knows me… time off from crazies…normal time…_

She grabbed the old robe on the back of her bedroom door and crossed the hall into the bathroom. Once behind the locked door she took off her bra and panties and washed them out in the sink. Then she stepped into the shower to scrub herself clean, washing away the sweat of fear along with the soot and foam. When she was done and dried off she went back to her room, dressing in a old pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. She stuck a note on the door to please not disturb her - that she wasn't hungry or hurt - and she went to bed.

She didn't sleep. But sometime during the long night she decided what she wanted to do.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Stephanie was up at first light, rummaging through the cast-off clothes that had accumulated in the room. She found a pair of Valerie's drawstring pants that fit pretty well, and an old college t-shirt. There wasn't any underwear, though, so she was glad she'd thought to wash hers out or she'd be going commando.

Once she was dressed she sat on the bed with the little notebook from her purse and a pen, and started a list. Just after eight she called Lula to beg a ride. Then she pulled a small folding file out from under the bed, grabbed her purse and the trash bag with her ruined clothes, and headed downstairs.

She greeted her parents and grandmother quietly, turned down breakfast, and took the trash bag to the can at the curb. A few minutes later Lula rolled up, and they left.

"You don't look quite like yourself this mornin', girl," Lula said when they were halfway to the office. "And it ain't just your clothes."

"I'm not myself today, I guess. I didn't sleep last night."

Lula snorted. "I'm not surprised. The last few days haven't exactly gone too good for you." She shot Stephanie a sidelong look, considering, and decided to say what was on her mind. "Tank said he heard there was a lot of shouting going on last night – between you and Joe, Joe and Ranger, and that you even yelled at Batman before you walked off. He said Ranger was in a mood when he got back to the building."

When there was nothing forthcoming, she prodded a little. "You _do_ know yelling at Ranger is asking for trouble, right?"

"I know. But he pissed me off." Stephanie sighed, "I hate my life."

"Stephanie, you're not thinkin' of doing anything rash, are you?" Lula sounded worried for her friend.

"I'm not going to kill myself, if that's what you're thinking," Steph reassured her with a small laugh. "But rash…? Maybe."

They'd pulled into the small lot at the rear of the office, and Lula shut off the car with a frown. Before she could question her further, though, Stephanie interrupted.

"I'll explain later. Could I get you to drive me around today? At least for a while?"

"It's been slow lately. Let me tell Connie and I'll be your wheels for the day."

"Thanks, Lula." Stephanie smiled the first real smile of the week at her friend.

In the office Connie asked Stephanie if she was okay, and if there was anything she could do.

"I'm okay, just a little singed and that's nothing new for me." She pulled two body receipts out of her purse and gave them to Connie. "I'm glad these were in my purse. If I can get my check for these I can go get some necessities. I think even my bathroom got toasted last night."

Connie made a sympathetic noise, then added the receipts and started writing a check. Behind them the front door dinged, and Lester came in.

"Good morning, ladies. Hey, Steph, are you okay? I heard you were home when the psycho came calling."

"Yeah, I'm okay. I made it behind the door before it flashed."

Lester paled. "You were _in the_ _room_?"

"Yes, but I'm okay."

"Jez," he said softly, and a moment later he made a visible effort to shake it off. Then he gave her a hesitant look. "Um, Steph… This guy is seriously nuts. Let us bring him in for you before he manages to really hurt someone."

Stephanie's face clouded. "I can catch him."

"I know you can, Beautiful," Lester backpedaled, trying to persuade her without getting her temper up, but it was too late.

"I'm _not_ giving up my skip, Lester. Not to you, not to Ranger. I'll bring him in myself," Steph said flatly.

"But…" he tried, but he stopped when she glared. He sighed. "I told Ranger you wouldn't go for it. He knew it, too. Will you at least call if you need help?"

Steph nodded, but she'd hesitated. And from the stubborn set to her jaw Lester very much doubted that she meant it. He gave up trying to argue with her, though, and to everyone's surprise he stepped forward and wrapped Stephanie in a hug.

"Just be careful. Please," he said softly into her slightly-fried curls, then he left.

An uncomfortable silence fell for a moment until Connie broke it by handing Stephanie her check. She also gave her fifty dollars from the petty cash box. "I know this won't go far, but it may help a little."

"Thanks, Connie. I won't need a lot for right now and this _will_ help."

"I'm gonna be her driver for today," Lula added. "Just call me if something comes up."

"No problem. Let me know if there is anything I can help with."

Back in the Firebird, Lula turned to Steph. "First stop the mall?"

"Not yet." Shooting her friend an apologetic look, Steph said, "Actually, I need to go to the police station first. I need to give my statement and request a copy of the police report for my insurance company so I can put in my claim. You can just drop me off if you want, and I'll call you when I'm done."

"No, I can wait in the parking lot. I'll listen to music while I'm waiting. It'll be fine."

Stephanie went through the statement process with the speed of experience and put in the report request, and managed to avoid Joe. She was surprised to see Lula still waiting for her when she headed back out. Not so surprisingly Ranger was waiting too, leaning against an SUV.

He waited until she was close before he spoke.

"Babe," he started but broke off when Stephanie stopped just out of his reach. "Let me take this skip, Babe. Please."

"No. I can do this, Ranger. He didn't hurt me, he pissed me off -- and I _will_ bring him in."

Ranger's face went blank and Stephanie knew he was going to argue. She started to walk away then turned back for a moment.

"Don't have anyone follow me, either," she said in a hard voice, then continued to the Firebird.

A muscle flexed in Ranger's clenched jaw as he watched her climb into Lula's car and drive away, then he turned and yanked the SUV door open.

Lula had watched the confrontation. She wisely didn't say a word, but she hoped Steph knew what she was doing.

They went to the bank and then to the bakery for some breakfast. Then Stephanie shocked Lula by asking to go to the big discount store on Route One instead of the mall.

"I need clothes and I don't want to spend much," she explained. "I may get trashed bringing the asshole in. I can always upgrade later."

Lula accepted that explanation and drove her to the store. Steph got a cart and told Lula she didn't have to walk along with her if there was anything she wanted to look at, so Lula headed for the electronics department to wait. Steph would call when she was done.

Pulling her list out of her purse, Steph set off towards the toiletries department first. She selected shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, and a moisturizer, then picked up a box of tampons and some deodorant. She hesitated but decided to skip the makeup section for now. She had mascara and a powder compact in her purse. She could make do with that for a few days.

Next stop was clothes. She hit the clearance racks and found several t-shirts and one nicer polo shirt for a pittance. She grabbed all the clearance-rack jeans close to her size and spent fifteen minutes in the dressing room, emerging with three pairs that fit. Two inexpensive but comfortable bras, a 7-pack of underwear, a pack of socks, and two pairs of boxer shorts from the men's clearance rack, and she was done. She'd only have the tennis shoes she was wearing but she could get by for a while, and hopefully her insurance money would come through soon. After the fiasco last year she'd purchased replacement-cost renter's insurance. Because of her high-risk rating the premiums nearly killed her, but hopefully it would pay off. She'd kept a file with receipts for all the items she'd had to replace last time for proof of cost so there shouldn't be any problems.

She called Lula and told her she was heading for the check-out. By the time she'd paid for her purchases Lula had the Firebird waiting at the door, and they headed to McDonald's.

Over lunch, Steph told Lula about her decision. As she'd expected, Lula didn't take it well. It was a good thing the dining room was almost empty.

"What do you mean you're gonna leave?"

"Lula," Steph started, motioning for Lula to keep her voice down. She didn't see anyone she knew but she didn't want her plans broadcast, either. "Just listen to me for a minute. I'm not happy here anymore. I've enjoyed my job but I'm not great at it and I don't really make enough money to live without eating at my parents' house. I'm over thirty and I don't have much to show for my life. I tried getting a normal job and I got someone else killed and nearly died myself. I can't start over here because everyone knows me and the psychos know where I live. I have to leave. Maybe then I can have a normal life."

Lula sat unmoving, thinking hard. "You can't just move to a different town here in New Jersey? Somewhere I could visit?"

Stephanie shook her head. "How many times have I been in the damned papers? No, I need more distance."

"Where? Where will you go?"

"I have no idea. I'll miss you," she admitted, softening to smile sadly at the outrageous woman who'd become a good friend. "I don't know how, yet, but I will find a way to stay in touch."

Lula pushed her food away, no longer hungry. "I understand. I don't like it, but I can see what you're saying. But Steph, there's a man or two in your life that won't like it if you just disappear. They'll find you."

"I'm working on that, too."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	2. Ch 2 Forward Motion

_**Disclaimer: The folks you recognize from the books belong to JE. The story and anyone else that wanders in belong to me.**_

_A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you really made my day -- especially those of you who put me on your 'favorite story' list after just one chapter! LOL! _

_This story is a little different from my others and needs to be told in third-person and I've gotten used to writing Steph's POV first-person, so if I screw up please bear with me. Thanks for reading!_

_**Chapter Two - Forward Motion**_

With her most urgent errands taken care of, Stephanie asked Lula to drop her back at her parents' house. She'd borrow the Buick and see which of the three hidey-holes Ed Neidermeier had gone to ground in. She promised she'd call Lula to help her with his take-down but privately she wanted to just fry his ass for fire-bombing her life. She didn't even care about his bounty anymore.

First things first, though. She carried her purchases upstairs and changed into a pair of the jeans, then dumped her purse out on the bed. She picked out the ink pen with the RangeMan tracker in it that Ranger had given her and then searched for the other one. She knew there'd be a backup…and she found it in a beat-up lip balm that had been rolling around in the bottom of her purse. Leaving them both on the bed, she made sure there were fresh batteries in her stun-gun, a couple of bullets in her gun, and that she had handcuffs and her nerve-gas spray. She knew Ranger could track her cell phone, too, but only if it was on. She turned it off before she stuck it in her pocket.

Neidermeier would still be at work for a few more hours, so she took a nap. When she got back up, she went downstairs to borrow the Buick's keys and tell her mom she wouldn't be home for dinner.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

It was nearly eleven when she saw his truck pull into the alley behind the abandoned building, and she'd been waiting in the shadows for two hours. The Buick was parked in the next alley, out of sight. She hadn't called Lula. This was personal now, so she was alone…and she was ready.

Neidermeier was tall but on the skinny side, and was a little left of center in the head. He wasn't truly evil but he _was_ nuts, and he deserved to be locked up.

Steph followed him through the door, catching it just before it caught and sliding in quickly. He must have caught her shadow or something, though, because he turned suddenly, swinging for her head. She dodged that first fist, but the second caught her in the ribs and nearly took her down. She did drop her stun-gun.

Gasping for breath, Steph managed to spray him with the nerve gas. It slowed him down some but he still got in several good hits, including ones on her hip and thigh before she got him in the face and he went down. Steph kicked him in the knee, then searched for her stun-gun and fried him again just for the hell of it. Dragging him to her car alone was hard but satisfying as she heard the scrape of gravel beneath him. And she might have accidentally racked him as she was heaving him into the back seat of the car. Darn.

The police station was almost quiet. The late-spring weather was balmy and it was still a few hours before last call at the bars. No cops were standing around handily so she pulled Neidermeier out of the car alone. He could stand with help, but wobbled when he walked.

Pushing and bracing the skip in front of her, Stephanie made it to the desk and dropped him on an empty bench. The officer at the desk looked up and his eyes got huge.

"Damn, lady, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Steph answered, pulling her authorization papers from her purse. "I'm bringing in Ed Neidermeier, who is delinquent on his bond. He's also the man who set fire to my car and my apartment, so if it hasn't already been done I'd like to press charges for those, too."

An hour later, exhausted, Steph left the station with her body receipt. Her side hurt where she'd taken a fist in the ribs, and one of her cheeks had a swelling bruise. Probably there was more but she didn't want to look, she just wanted a shower and a bed.

She pulled the Buick into the garage and sighed with relief. Sliding out and leaving her purse on the floorboard, she eased the garage door down and headed across the grass to the front steps. Ranger stepped out of a shadow right in front of her and she nearly had a heart attack.

"Jezzus, Ranger! Are you trying to scare me to death?"

"You're out late," he said.

"It's not that late. I was at the police station, taking Neidermeier in."

"You're hurt."

Stephanie was at a disadvantage. Ranger was between her and the porch, so his face was in shadow while light fell across hers. She saw his hand come up, though, and knew he was going to cradle her face in his palm. If he touched her with gentleness she knew it would break her resolve to leave - or worse, she'd let him take her to his apartment. She couldn't do it. So she shied away from his hand.

For an instant Ranger froze, then he slowly dropped his hand. When he spoke again his voice was flat and toneless and Stephanie knew his face would match.

"I tried to call you earlier."

"My charger got burned and my battery went dead," she lied. "I'll get a new charger in the morning."

"Where's your purse? Your tracker said you were here."

"It's in my room. I just put what I needed in my pockets to keep my hands free. I guess I forgot the pen."

Ranger was silent for a moment, and she wondered if he knew she was lying and wondering why. Her nerves were almost at the breaking point.

"There will be a charger for your phone at the bonds office for you in the morning," he said.

"Thank you," Steph said softly, and moved to go up the steps.

Before she could open the front door Ranger spoke again.

"Stephanie… I couldn't tell you I was going - I couldn't tell anyone. An escort showed up for me and I was on a chopper ten minutes later, unarmed and with empty pockets. Tank didn't know where or for how long; I didn't either. And we both had orders to keep it that way."

She turned. The light was in her favor now, and she could see Ranger's face where he stood at the bottom step. "I understand, and I'm sorry about last night. I wasn't really mad at you, just-- I'm sorry."

Ranger's face was impassive but tonight his eyes weren't. They were tired, and somehow sad. He hesitated, looking up at her, then just said, "Me, too. Get some sleep." And he was gone.

Steph crept in and locked the door. As quietly as she could, she made a couple of ice bags and wrapped them in dish towels, and took them upstairs with her. She took a quick shower and tumbled into bed, and finally slept.

_**TBC…**_


	3. Ch 3 Paving The Way

_**Disclaimer: Still not mine. I'm borrowing them without permission.**_

_A/N: It's harder than I thought it would be to write in third-person. I'm so out of practice!_

_**Chapter Three -- Paving The Way**_

The night was short and restless, and Steph woke herself crying several times. It was mid-morning when she surfaced for the day and found it hurt to move. She crawled out of bed and headed to the bathroom, glad she'd at least slept through the morning bottleneck. Looking in the mirror made her wince. The ice had helped shrink the swelling, but one cheek was definitely bruised and there were tear tracks on her face.

She stood in the hot shower for several minutes, letting it run over her back and body but remembering at the last minute to keep it off her face. As she'd learned the hard way, hot water made bruises look even worse. Her ribs, hip, and thigh all had bruises that were tender to the touch and there were others on her forearms where she'd blocked blows, but none of them were serious. She washed and dried herself gingerly and ducked back into the room.

Just after she'd pulled on underwear there was a soft tap on the door. Steph frowned, pulling her old robe closed before opening the door a crack. The knock had been too tentative to be her grandmother or mother.

It was Val, standing in the hall holding a paper grocery bag.

"Hey, Stephanie," she said. "I should have brought these yesterday but…oh my God, what happened?"

Steph reached out and yanked Val into the room before her mother heard everything.

"Keep it down, Val. I'm fine, I just got a little banged up last night wrestling with a skip. I caught the fire-happy guy that torched my apartment." She turned her back on her sister for a minute and fished the melted ice-packs out of the bed before sitting down. "I've got some bruises but nothing serious. Now, what were you saying?"

Valerie sank to the bed beside her and belatedly remembered the bag she was holding. "Oh, yes… I still have some clothes from before Lisa was born. They don't fit me anymore - and probably won't in the near future - and I thought you might want to at least a few things until you replace yours. You can keep anything you want." And she up-ended the bag and dumped the contents out onto the bed.

On top of the pile were two pairs of pretty stretch-lace underwear. Stephanie picked them up and raised her eyebrows at her sister.

"Oh, those," Val said with a half-laugh. "I got those the day before I found out I was pregnant with Lisa. The tags are still on them."

"Where is Lisa?" Stephanie asked when she realized Valerie had come alone.

"She's home with Albert. He had today off." She picked up a shirt and held it up for Stephanie to see.

The bag also held a new sports bra (wrong size for Val), two pairs of yoga pants, one black and one navy, and several nice shirts. On the bottom of the pile were a few makeup items.

"I bought this a couple of weeks ago but it's too light a shade for me," Val explained as she picked up a foundation compact. "I almost threw it away, but this morning I thought it might be a good color for you." There was also an eyeliner pencil and an eyeshadow compact, too.

"I appreciate all this, Valerie - especially the makeup. My apartment was a total loss. The only makeup I had left was mascara and some powder. I bought a few clothes yesterday but all of this will really come in handy."

Valerie smiled as if Stephanie had given her a gift instead of the other way around. "I'm glad. You helped me so much after I came back to Trenton, and it didn't seem like I would ever able to make it up to you."

"Consider us even," Steph said. "Now, what's Mom doing? Is she ironing?"

"Well, no -- but the washer and dryer are both going, so it's early yet!"

Stephanie dressed in the navy yoga pants and a loose t-shirt that Valerie must have bought after she'd started gaining weight. The sleeves were long enough to conceal most of the bruises but it was thin enough to be comfortable. Then Valerie helped Stephanie put makeup on, carefully patting foundation over the bruise until it was nearly invisible. Steph did her eyes and left her hair down. She looked pretty normal if you didn't look too closely at her singed hair. They went downstairs together.

Their mom was in the kitchen making chicken salad. Grandma sat at the table reading the obituaries and drinking coffee.

"There's coffee still hot, and Danishes in the box next to the pot. How are you feeling today?"

"Thanks, Mom, I'm feeling pretty good except for a couple of sore muscles. Do you have any Tylenol?"

Ellen reached into the cabinet above the sink and handed Stephanie the bottle. Valerie got two cups down and poured coffee while Steph carried the bakery box to the table. Grandma gave them each a paper napkin.

"You must have been out late last night," Grandma observed. "I was awake until midnight and I didn't hear you come in."

"I think it was around twelve-thirty when I came in," Steph said neutrally. "I was trying to be quiet."

"Anything interesting happen last night? I'm going to the beauty shop in an hour and your apartment and car getting burned was already in the paper."

Steph coughed on her Danish and laughed at her grandmother. "Well, I caught the guy that set the fires and turned him over to the cops. That's why I was late."

"Way to go, Stephanie!" Grandma gave the table a slap and Valerie jumped. "Did that other bounty-hunter guy help you? Ranger?"

"No, but I saw him on my way home. I caught the skip by myself."

Mom came over to re-fill the coffee cups and got too good a look at her face. "Is that a bruise on your cheek?"

Stephanie sighed. "Yes, Mom. It's not bad and nothing is broken." She sat back, waiting for the usual lecture. Ellen's lips tightened but she didn't say anything for several minutes.

Then she only said, "If that's not the only one, there's some of those joint-relief sticky pads under the sink in the bathroom."

"Thanks, Mom."

Steph ate half of a chicken-salad sandwich with the women of her family, then Grandma and Ellen left for the beauty shop. Steph thanked Valerie again and gave her a hug before Valerie headed home. Frank was out with the cab for the morning, so Steph wanted to get her day's errands done fairly quickly.

She ran upstairs and got her phone and the two trackers, then took the Buick to the bonds office.

Connie had a phone charger for her, just as Ranger had promised. Steph turned in the receipt for Neidermeier and Connie gave her a sharp look, noticing the concealed bruise. She opened her mouth to say something and then seemed to decide against it and just shook her head.

"Connie, I'm fine. Neidermeier just got in a lucky punch - trust me, I did my fair share of damage. Now, do you think I could use your computer for a few minutes?"

"Sure -- I really need to use the bathroom anyway. Would you answer the phone if it rings? Lula went out to lunch with Tank."

Steph got on the internet and logged in to her credit card account, checking the balance - which for once was zero. She cancelled the card, then repeated the procedure with her Macy's card. She checked a few websites, then logged off and pulled out Connie's phone book and wrote down a few phone numbers, sticking the paper into her purse.

When Connie came back out, Steph was just closing her e-mail.

"Thanks, Connie. I'll see you later."

At the bank, she parked and went in instead of going through the drive up.

"Hey, Clarissa, how are you," she greeted a teller she knew from high school. "I need to deposit this, and could you tell me the balance in my account?"

On the way back to the Buick, she remembered to turn her cell phone back on. It rang before she got the drivers' door closed. It was the police station.

The copy of the police reports was ready, so she went to get them and took them to her insurance agent's office - with the file of receipts. The agent assured her she'd have her check within days.

Next door to the insurance agents' there was a small office-supplies store, and Stephanie bought a small stationery set and a 4x6" spiral notebook with a bungee cord to hold it closed. It would fit easily in her purse. Then she headed home again.

Frank was home, but the women were still gone. She took advantage of the opportunity to talk to him alone.

"Dad," she began when she had his full attention. "I'm going to leave Trenton for a while. I wanted to explain it all to you before I go, because I don't think I can tell Mom in person." And she told him everything, how she felt, and how she planned to leave.

"I understand how you feel now, pumpkin…but are you ever coming back?"

"I don't know," Steph answered honestly. "Right now I'd say no, but I really don't think I could leave forever. There are too many people here I love. I think I will come back, I just don't know when. I need some time to be alone and see what normal feels like."

Frank gave his daughter a hug and what reassurance he could, and then she went upstairs to write some letters. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, except for goodbye.

_**TBC…**_


	4. Ch 4 Taking Flight

_**Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing. Not making any money.**_

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope I continue to meet your expectations!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Four -- Taking Flight**_

Stephanie sat cross-legged on the floor of her old room, elbows propped on her knees and her face in her hands. Stationery was scattered on the floor around her. Two pages with writing on the front and back, much of it crossed out, lay discarded at her feet. One sealed envelope sat to one side.

Strangely, the letter for Joe had been the easiest to write. Maybe it was because they'd already had their big break-up fight and had only just gotten back to being friends, but for whatever reason she'd been able to write to him what she felt.

Ranger's was proving to be much more difficult.

Sighing, she sat up straight and stretched her spine. Selecting a new sheet of paper she decided to try her grandmother's note. It shouldn't be too hard. After all, Grandma Mazur seemed to know her almost as well as she knew herself - maybe better at times. The words flowed and Stephanie explained as well as she could, ending by telling her grandmother how much she loved her and appreciated her support all of her life. Then she folded it into an envelope, wrote Grandma on the front, and sealed it.

Working up to it seemed to have helped. Stephanie started on the letter to Ranger, taking her time and choosing her words very carefully. It took well over an hour, and when she sealed the envelope and wrote his name on the front she had tears sliding down her cheeks in a steady stream. Heart aching, she just rolled over on the carpet and cried until her tears were gone, then went into the bathroom to wash her face. The bruise was starting to turn darker, especially along her cheekbone. She retrieved the makeup from the room and covered it again as well as she could.

It was nearly five when she went back downstairs. The letters were safely tucked into her purse upstairs. She admired Grandma's new blonde hair tint, set the table for her mother, and ate dinner with her family. She even helped with the dishes afterward.

She did her best to seem normal. But her father knew, and her mother and grandmother gave each other furtive, speculative looks behind her back.

She spent some time watching TV before she went upstairs to get ready for bed. She needed to talk to someone so she called Lula, but Tank was there so she let her go. It wouldn't do for Tank to suspect.

A few more days. If she could make it a few more days without raising suspicion she might be able to leave undetected, unchallenged. She could only hope she would make it.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

It was barely light outside when she got up and slipped across the hall to take a quick shower. She was back in her room before she heard her parents stirring, and she just laid on the bed thinking as the morning squabble went on in the hallway. She started going over things in her mind again, over and over, looking for mistakes. Working for Ranger doing searches part-time had taught her a few things that would come in handy now. She had learned what things showed up in systems, and what things raised flags. She knew how certain transactions could be traced. Did she know enough?

There were a few more items she wanted to pick up. She got a scrap of paper and made a list. She needed a hair brush, toothbrush and paste, and makeup removal wipes. A suitcase? Or would a backpack work better? And how would be the safest way to carry her money?

Dressing quickly, she went downstairs and ate breakfast with her family, then borrowed the Buick again. She drove straight to Mary Lou's house.

It was comparatively quiet this morning. The youngest boy was still asleep, and the two older ones were headed to school on the bus. She got some time with Mary Lou uninterrupted, a very rare thing. It worked out well because she was able to tell her the whole story without stopping.

On the surface, Mary Lou's reaction was a lot less drastic than Lula's. Stephanie wondered if it was because Mary Lou had a busier life, or did she just know her well enough to know that she'd eventually find her way back to Trenton?

Mary Lou smiled, as if she could read her thoughts. "I'll miss you, but I understand. In the end only you can make yourself happy. You have to do what feels right, and live your own life. Right now there are far too many people in Trenton that feel like they own a piece of you, and your heart tries to make them all happy. It would make anyone crazy."

She really did understand.

Mary Lou went even further and aided her cause, digging a small wheeled suitcase out of her attic storage. Inside it was stashed a lightweight fabric fanny-pack, and a waterproof zipper bag.

"We bought two sets of luggage when we took the boys to Disney World a couple of years ago," she explained. "We only used these that one time. They are supposed to be carry-on size, but the airline regulations have changed and now they're too big. But if you can use it, it's yours. Oh, and I wore the fanny-pack under my shirt and kept most of our cash in it. It made me look pudgy or pregnant, but it felt safer than my purse or Lenny's wallet."

"Thanks, Mary Lou. This will help a lot."

"I wish you didn't need to go," she whispered, her control finally beginning to break.

"It won't be forever," Stephanie reassured her. "And I will find some way to keep in touch. Just, please, don't let anything slip until I'm gone." Not that she was worried about Mary Lou. She'd always kept her secrets.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

She left the suitcase safely stashed in the Buick's trunk and stopped at a discount store. She just walked around aimlessly for a while before making her way to the toiletries section. Hair brush, tooth brush, and tooth paste were all simple items to select. At the end of the isle was the section of travel/trial items and her eyes fell on a small bottle of concentrated laundry soap. That might be handy, too.

She dodged around a clogged isle and found herself in the medical section looking at a display of wrist, ankle, and knee braces. One of the knee braces was mostly elastic and Velcro but lined with soft fleece, and it gave her another idea. It would be better to have her money in different places, just in case. So she bought it, too.

Part of her wanted to go goof off at the bonds office for a while, just chatting with Connie and Lula, but she knew she wasn't good enough at acting to fool Connie for long. Instead she called and told Connie that she would be taking a few days off. Connie didn't question it.

Steph went home and found the house empty and a note on the table saying her Mom and Grandma had gone grocery shopping. It gave her the chance to sneak the suitcase upstairs and hide it in the closet. She sat down to write a letter to Connie and her mom, and as she was finishing her cell rang. Her insurance check was ready.

Her heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears, and she felt nearly sick with nerves. This was it, the last thing holding her here. Well, almost. She'd realized she couldn't leave without seeing Ranger one more time.

She called Lula and asked for a ride. Then she quickly packed her accumulated things, tucking the fanny pack and knee brace into the outside pocket of the suitcase along with a plastic trash bag. The tracking pen she tucked into the drawer of the bedside table, and she tucked the bogus lip balm into the pocket of her pants. Lula had pulled up out front by the time she made it downstairs.

Her heart hurt as they pulled away from the curb. She'd left the letters to her mom, grandma, and Valerie on the bed. Lula was grim faced as she drove Stephanie first to the insurance agency, then to the bank. They stopped in the back lot of McDonalds while Stephanie divided cash between the knee brace, the fanny pack, and her wallet.

"Where to now?" Lula asked. It was just after five.

"I need to eat. I'll buy you dinner, and then maybe a drink or two." She took a deep breath and turned to look Lula in the face. "And then I want to spend some time with Ranger…until midnight, maybe. Will that be too late for me to get another ride?"

"It's not that late," Lula said gruffly. "Let's go to Pino's for dinner and our drinks."

Three hours and two stiff drinks later, Lula dropped Stephanie off in front of the RangeMan building. Steph left the suitcase and the fanny pack in the trunk, and the knee brace was buried in her purse. "I'll be waiting outside that little deli up the block after eleven," Lula said. "You take your time."

Dutch courage was the only thing keeping her knees from knocking as she made her way into the lobby and up to the fifth floor, and even then her hands were shaking. She kept one hand wrapped around the strap of her purse and tucked the other in her pocket as she stuck her head in the control room.

"Hi guys," she said huskily. "Do you know where Ranger is?"

"Hey, Steph, you doing okay? Ranger just went upstairs," Woody told her with a smile and continued in a teasing voice. "He just came in from an op so don't be too hard on him."

She just waved and went back to the elevator.

Ranger opened the door at her first knock, still dressed in his usual black including a zip-front hoodie that was probably hiding his guns. He was holding a half-empty beer. He didn't speak, just stepped back, inviting her inside.

"I wanted to apologize again, Ranger, and explain--"

"Not necessary -- I understand, Babe. It was a bad night all around and I didn't help." He turned and started back toward the living room. Steph followed, dropping her purse near the kitchen bar.

"You tried to help, I just jumped your sh--"

Ranger cut off her words with his mouth, turning suddenly and pulling her to him all at once. For an instant Steph stiffened, then she melted against him and he deepened the kiss. And kept kissing her, one hand tangled in her hair, until he'd managed to steer them into his bedroom.

"You taste like margaritas," he whispered with a tiny smile when he at last lifted his head.

"Lula," she said dazedly. "I had a drink with Lula, and she gave me a ride here."

"Ah," he said as if that explained everything. He slipped his windbreaker off and dropped it on the floor then reached for her shirt. "I need a shower. Want to join me?"

Steph just raised her arms and let him pull off her shirt, then tugged at his. If Ranger's lips tightened at the sight of her dark bruises, he didn't say anything, just got them both naked and into the shower.

He was a little surprised when she took charge of the shower gel and washed him. And he nearly lost his mind when she went down on her knees in front of him washing him with maddening thoroughness, her gentle fingers stroking. When the heat of her mouth enveloped him his groan echoed off the tile.

He took her against the wall, careful not to hurt her even as he lost himself in her, thrusting hard and deep until his cry blended with hers, and they nearly ended up in a pile on the shower floor.

She turned her eyes away from her reflection as he dried her body a few minutes later, so when they moved to the bed he turned off most of the lights. Then he set out to make her forget all about her bruises, taking his time working his way to his favorite spot between her legs, using his lips and tongue, teeth and fingers to drive her crazy. He knew when she was at the limits of her endurance and moved over her, sliding deep and holding her tight as he rocked them both to oblivion…

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Steph fought hard to both keep her body relaxed and keep her mind alert until at last Ranger slept. As it was she couldn't stop the silent tears that trickled down her cheeks. She would have thought she was completely cried out by now.

Quietly she got up and dressed. Ranger didn't stir, thank God. He'd been tired when she arrived and had become somewhat used to her being with him at night during their time as lovers. She hesitated only briefly before taking the t-shirt and hoodie he'd been wearing. The smelled of him, and the jacket might come in handy.

In the kitchen she opened her purse and set the items in the top out on the counter -- the sealed letter, his apartment keys, and her phone and charger. The phone number had originally been hers but he'd replaced it for her numerous times, and she knew all too well that cell signals were easy for Ranger to track. It had saved her life before. But now she didn't want to be found.

With a deep if shaky breath and one last look back, she opened the door and slipped away.

True to her word, Lula was waiting at the curb outside the little deli on the corner. She unlocked the door and Steph slid in. Lula gave her clean face and wet cheeks one look and started the car.

"You can't go anywhere like this," she said firmly. "You got to pull yourself together a little." She found a late-night drive through and got a Coke and fries, surprising Stephanie into a half-laugh, half-sob. But she ate some, sipped some Coke, and it settled her down enough to find her makeup and re-cover her bruise and brush her hair.

"The bus station, please," she said finally. "And Lula, I'll never be able to thank you enough."

"You saved my life, white girl. I reckon that's thanks enough."

She asked Lula not to come in with her and tucked the fake lip balm under the seat as she climbed out of the Firebird. Maybe it would confuse things and give her just a little more time.

The ticket window was only fifteen minutes from closing when she bought her ticket - a thirty-day unlimited pass. She went to the bathroom and fastened the brace around her left knee, and the fanny pack low around her waist under her jeans and shirt. She folded Ranger's shirt into the suitcase and tucked the hoodie in the outer zipper pocket, and was on a bus leaving Trenton ten minutes later.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	5. Ch 5 Fallout

_**Disclaimer: I only wish they were mine. I make not money, but will gladly accept reviews instead.**_

_A/N: I've taken a little artistic license in this, because as far as I can tell there is no bus station in Trenton except charter companies. This premise is based on Greyhound's promo several years back of a thirty-day bus pass for $99. I'm sure if it were still available it would probably cost more than that now, but that's where the idea came from…_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Five -- Fallout**_

Ranger woke at four and reached for Steph. When his hands encountered only cool empty sheets tangled next to him he was instantly wide awake. Stephanie never got up early.

Instincts screaming, he was up and searching the apartment within seconds, flipping on lights and even checking the closet. He actually broke into a run back to the bedroom for his clothes and the phone.

Grabbing his discarded cargos with one hand, he jabbed the intercom button for the control room with the other

"Bring up Steph's trackers. Where is she?" Listening to the rapid clicking of keys, he got his cargos fastened and looked around for his shirt. Where had it ended up? Then he heard Lester's voice.

"Problem. Her primary tracker says she's at her parents'. The backup says she's down on Tyler, just off Stark."

"Fuck." Ranger swore, reaching for his cell. "Trace her cell - I'm calling it now."

Lester grunted, and a second later said, "Shit."

Ranger heard the Batman ring-tone and followed it to the kitchen counter.

"Ranger, it's --"

"Here," he finished Lester's sentence and swore in frustration. "Trace the trackers back and see where they've been, then call my cell."

He finished dressing in twelve seconds, took another seven to arm himself, and was out the door headed for the elevator, hitting Tank's number on his cell on the way.

"'Sup, Ranger?"

"Steph is on the run, Tank, and I need your help. What's on Tyler just off Stark?"

"Lula's old corner... Dammit, if Steph left and Lula's depressed I don't want here anywhere near that place."

"Garage, move." And he hung up.

The stairwell door burst open as the elevator disgorged Ranger.

"Go find Lula."

Tank ran to a Bronco while Ranger went for the Cayenne. They were both peeling out of the garage in moments. Just as they cleared the gate Ranger's cell rang, and it was Lester.

"The backup was here in the building from 2015 until 2327. It left here and went to Cass Street- there's a McDonalds there - and then to 75 Clinton Avenue."

"The fucking bus station."

"Yeah."

"Go back further. Where was she earlier today? Did she do anything out of character?"

"She went to Mary Lou's. Stopped at a store. Went to her parents. To…somewhere in the business district, then to the bank. To Pino's…then here."

"Find out what's at the address in the business district. And check her bank accounts."

He snapped his phone shut and screeched to a halt at the station, out and headed inside almost before his door shut. The waiting room held only a homeless man and a janitor, and the ticket window was closed until five-thirty, but he found a schedule and ran down the times. The midnight bus was the last until the six-twenty, and it had been headed to New York City.

He spent twenty minutes combing the station for anyone that had been there around midnight, and struck out. He called to the control room to send someone to wait for the ticket agent to try and get information, and had someone else call the cab companies to see if anyone fitting Steph's description had been picked up at the bus station last night. If she'd taken a cab to the airport… She could be anywhere.

Back in the Cayenne he headed for Chambers Street, and parked a half a block away from the Plum's. He climbed up the back stoop, jimmied the window and was inside the bathroom in minutes. He stepped into the hall and startled the hell out of Edna Mazur - but to give her credit, she didn't make a sound.

"Steph?" he asked in a whisper, and the skinny old lady pointed to the door almost across the hall.

He opened it silently and flipped on the light. As he'd expected, it was empty and the bed was neatly made. Two envelopes laid on the pillow sham. Instinctively he pulled open the drawer in the nightstand and found the tracker pen.

Grandma Mazur pushed into the room behind him. "What's going on?" she whispered. "Where is Stephanie?"

"I think she's left Trenton," he said softly, seemingly unaware of the emotion betrayed in his voice. "She left notes."

Grandma went around him and picked up the letter with her name on it, opening it and starting to read. A moment later Ranger caught her arm and guided her onto the edge of the bed as she started to sink.

"You're right. She's gone." She looked up at the intimidating man before her with tears in her eyes. "Where would she go? She doesn't know anyone outside of Trenton."

"I don't know. But I'll find her."

Edna glanced down at the handwritten letter and when she looked back up, Ranger was gone.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger returned to the control room to find more distressing news. Tank had brought Lula back to his apartment, but she was three sheets to the wind and could only say that Steph was gone and was flying solo, leaving her friends behind. She had no idea where she was going.

Stephanie had cancelled her credit cards and closed her bank account. The other stop had been the insurance company. Between cashing the insurance check and closing her account, they estimated that Stephanie had close to eleven thousand dollars on her, all in cash. Ranger was losing his mind.

The cab companies came up empty, but the ticket agent was persuaded to call the night man, who vaguely remembered a woman buying a ticket at nearly the last minute. So by six-thirty, Ranger was on the road toward New York with the bus schedule and stops on the seat next to him along with several photos of Steph and his own opened letter. And the Turbo was flying low.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	6. ch 6 Lost In America

_**Disclaimer: Characters from the books are property of JE and borrowed without permission. Everyone else is mine.**_

_A/N: I'm typing as fast as I can! I killed my keyboard and had to get a new one. This one is nice and quiet, but some of the keys have been rearranged so it's slowing me down some getting used to it! Have patience, my Muse is beating me as it is!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Six -- Lost In America**_

It took over half an hour for Stephanie to figure out how to get herself, her little suitcase, and her purse situated in the bus seat and feel both comfortable and secure. She was glad the bus wasn't crowded and no one was in the seat next to her. She'd ended up putting the suitcase upright between her legs. She could cross one leg over it to shift positions, and no one could possibly take it without waking her. It wasn't something she'd ever had to worry about before, because except for car trips she'd never traveled alone - and even then the trips had been short.

The long strap of her purse fit comfortably around her head and under one arm, and it sat on her lap without being too heavy. The temperature in the bus was okay, cool enough not to be sweaty, but not chilly. She dozed off just in time to be startled awake by the bus's first stop since leaving Trenton.

The bus idled at the station for about ten minutes. No one got off, and no one got on. The door hissed shut, and the bus slowly lumbered back onto the highway. She dozed off faster this time. After the third stop she used the tiny airline-style toilet in the back and fell into a deeper sleep.

Rolling to a stop just inside New York, Steph woke and tried to stretch. Her stomach was growling and she needed to walk around. She carried her suitcase in front of her and made her way off the bus, asking the driver how long the stop was. It was a half an hour.

The restroom was not very clean, and it was starting to get busy. Steph managed to wedge the suitcase in the toilet stall with her and go to the bathroom, but discovered it took talent to maneuver holding her purse and the fanny pack out of the way. It was going to take practice.

By the time she washed her hands and found a vending machine for a snack she was tired, and it felt almost good to get back on the bus. She nibbled her granola bar to make it last, then arranged herself and went back to sleep.

The next time she woke they were on the outskirts of New York City. Steph decided to get off and find some food and decide where to go from here. It was morning and the station was fairly busy, and there were several ticket windows open. She walked over until she found a rack of bus schedules and took one, then sat on a bench to look at it. There was a bus leaving nearly every half an hour for most of the day, so she didn't need to worry too much about time.

She left the station, careful to look around and remember the address, and set off toward a diner she could see down the street. She went in and to the back to an empty table, and picked up the menu. The menu was simple and the food sounded plain, but the place was clean and the prices were low. Stephanie ordered breakfast and coffee and watched the people around her, her suitcase pulled close against her leg. She wasn't the only traveler in the place.

The food was good and hot, and she ate slowly, trying not to think. When she was finished she paid then headed back towards the station.

Halfway there she realized she was walking by a SuperCuts salon and impulsively turned in. It would be much easier to take care of her hair if it was short. She didn't really like short hair, but who was going to see it? She gritted her teeth, waited her turn, and asked for a pixie cut. The woman was quick and efficient, and managed to leave it wispy around the edges so that Steph had to admit it didn't look as bad as she'd feared. She used a little vacuum to get off most of the loose hairs before she took the plastic cape off, and Steph ran exploratory fingers through it, smiling, as she thanked her. She paid and continued back to the station, arriving just in time to board a departing bus. She didn't even look where it was headed.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

West. She was headed west, because as the day wore into afternoon the sun was in front of them. The large black male bus driver had sun in his eyes, and he was cranky. Steph was glad she didn't have to ride all the way across country on the same bus. A woman with a backpack sat in the seat next to her for three hours, reading a magazine, and when she got off she offered the magazine to Stephanie. She spent the next few hours reading articles about throwing dinner parties, finding the right dress, and cooking pastry, until it got too dark to read and she went back to snoozing. In the early morning she ate a granola bar she'd tucked into her purse and looked out the window, watching the scenery pass in the gray pre-dawn light. A young woman with a boy about two got on at the next stop. She sat across the isle and tried to keep her son still, but he was cranky and she looked exhausted. Steph tore some pages out of the magazine and folded the origami jumping frogs that Ranger had taught her, and passed them to the boy and the magazine to the mom. She thanked Steph, giving her a grateful look when the cranky boy settled down to making the frogs jump on the seat.

She stuck it out until the afternoon, but when the bus finally stopped in a larger town she got off again. Again, she first checked the bus schedules and paid close attention to the morning times. Then she set off down the street the way they'd come, where she'd spotted several hotels.

The first couple looked run-down and dirty, like something on Stark Street. She walked past with one hand in her purse on her gun, and the other pulling the suitcase. After three blocks she found a cleaner hotel, went inside, and got a room for the night.

She checked the room, including making sure the locks worked, before sitting her suitcase on the dresser and going back out to find food. She needed to find something to keep her going on the bus or she'd constantly be getting off and on. The woman in the office pointed her towards a small grocery two blocks away. She bought some easily-carried snacks - granola bars, cheese-n-crackers, and dried fruit, and a medium-sized bottle of water with a screw-on lid so she could re-use it. She got Chinese take-out on the way back to the hotel. It wasn't quite dark when she locked herself in for the night.

Eating alone wasn't fun, but she turned the TV on the weather channel for friendly noise, and watched the forecast. It was getting warmer. After she ate she took a shower and washed her hair, rubbing and rinsing thoroughly to get out all the loose trimmings that had been itching all day. She folded her dirty shirt and underwear into the plastic trash sack and slept in Ranger's black t-shirt and her panties, with the television still on.

Morning came with a lot of noise. Steph got up and dressed quickly, folding Ranger's shirt back into the suitcase, brushing her teeth, and wetting her hair to comb it down. She skipped makeup again - the bruise was livid and black now, and nothing was going to do much to hide it anyway.

Double-checking to make sure she had everything, she dropped the key at the office and headed back toward the bus station, once again keeping an eye on her surroundings and her hand on her gun. She reached a small fast-food place just before the station and got a breakfast sandwich and orange juice, and was in time to catch the first bus.

South was the direction of the day. During a longer stop Steph found a used-paperback shop and bought a thick historical romance novel. Between reading and dozing and her snacks she rode, occasionally switching busses, for two more days before she stopped at a hotel again.

When a week passed and she was out of clean clothes, she stopped in a small city. The station was at the edge of town in a fairly nice area, and she found a clean hotel that advertised coin-op laundry facilities. She put on the thin drawstring pants and a tank top to do laundry - everything together in one cold-water load - then took a shower and washed what she'd had on out in the sink and hung them over the shower rod to dry.

There was little money left in her wallet, so she took another hundred out of her fanny-pack. The knee brace was slightly irritating and made her walk with a limp when she was tired, but it was working out surprisingly well.

She went out to eat, re-stocked her mobile pantry and got a new water bottle. She read a little while, then checked the locks and went to sleep to the sounds of the weather channel. It was nearly check-out time when she woke up, and she had to scramble to repack her things and get on her way.

There was a little internet café/bookstore on the opposite side of the street from the bus station, and she went there first thinking about how she might check in with Lula. She could e-mail…but Lula didn't have a computer, and besides, Steph wanted to hear her voice. Just inside the door there was a display of pre-paid phones. Steph smiled.

The phones were only fifteen dollars for the plain model, and came with a year's service if activated online with a 20-minute card. Steph bought a phone, a card, and a cinnamon roll and coffee for her breakfast, and paid the small fee to use a computer. She activated the phone on-line and got bonus minutes. She wrote the phone model, serial number, and phone number in her notebook and tucked it into her purse, then found a quiet place to eat while she read the instruction book. About half way through she found what she was looking for - the codes to block caller ID from showing her number. She went outside and called Lula.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Lula was at lunch with Tank. It had been a week since Stephanie left, and Tank was still treating her like she was made of glass. Just because she got a little drunk the night she helped her best friend run away didn't mean she was gonna get all depressed or do somethin' stupid.

When her phone rang she had to drop the fries in her hand before she could fish it out of her spandex top. The caller ID said blocked…and she almost didn't answer it.

A moment later she shrieked and jumped out of her chair, sending French fries and Coke and ice in all directions, startling Tank as he was splattered with cold liquid. He just reached for napkins when he realized Lula was saying 'white girl' - her nickname for Stephanie. He yanked his phone off his hip and hit speed dial for Ranger.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	7. Ch7 Home Front

_**Disclaimer: The story and any characters you don't recognize from the books are mine; everyone else belongs to JE and is being borrowed without permission. Stephanie wanted a break…**_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Seven -- Home Front**_

Steph leaned back on the park bench fighting tears at the sound of Lula's excited voice. It took a couple of minutes for Lula to calm down enough that Steph could make out her words, but Steph understood. She missed Lula, too.

"So where are you, and are you okay?" Lula asked.

"I'm okay. And to tell you the truth I'm don't know where I am right now, not even which state."

"What do you mean you don't know? How did you get there?"

Stephanie laughed at the indignant tone of voice. "I've been riding busses -- lots of busses. I get off when I can't feel my butt, spend a night in a cheap hotel so I can take a shower, then I get on another bus. I don't even look to see where they're headed."

"Why would you be doin' that?"

"I want to be lost, Lula. If I don't know where I am it'll be harder for anyone else to find me."

"Okay. I guess I understand that. How long do you think you'll be gone?"

Stephanie sighed. They'd talked about this, but she was pretty sure she'd hear the question a lot anyway. "I don't know. Until the 'Burg finds someone else's life to gossip about, I guess. I'm tired of being everyone's favorite joke."

There was a pause and scraping noises, like Lula was covering the phone. "Lula? What's wrong? Where are you?"

Lula came back on sounding slightly subdued. "Well, um, I was eating lunch with Tank. Now he's on the phone with Ranger, and Ranger wants to talk to you."

"I can't right now," she said, trying not to panic. "I don't have very much time."

Lula spoke again much softer, "Tank says Ranger hasn't been himself…he's really worried about you. He drove to New York City stopping at every bus stop looking for you, and he's had all the guys searching. He really needs to know you're okay."

"Tell him I'll call him soon - tomorrow or the next day, I promise, okay? I've got to go. Please tell my mom and Mary Lou I called." And Stephanie hung up.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Lula closed her phone slowly, giving Tank an apologetic look. Tank looked resigned, and turned slightly to speak softly into his own phone. A moment later he turned back, started to reach for Lula's phone then paused. "May I?"

Lula handed him her phone and watched as he punched buttons quickly, having no trouble with the small keys even though his fingers were large. She craned her neck to see what he was doing and saw he'd pulled up the recent calls screen - and the last call said 'blocked'.

Tank muttered something under his breath before he spoke into the phone. Lula's eyes went wide when she heard Ranger swear even from where she was sitting. Tank wasn't kidding that Ranger wasn't himself!

After Ranger hung up, Tank closed both phones and handed Lula's back to her, returning his own to his belt. Lula still looked a little shell-shocked which wasn't surprising, not very many people heard Ranger that angry and lived to tell about it.

"Huh. I guess you were serious about Ranger's state."

Tank nodded. "I don't know what else to do. He's got several people looking full-time, plus a couple of our contract men, and several of us are spending time on searches when we're not on the clock, just hoping we'll get lucky. Did she say anything that might help?"

"She said she would call Ranger herself, tonight or tomorrow. She promised, and you know she don't break no promises. You can tell Ranger that, maybe it'll help."

"Listen, I should probably get back. He's probably headed for the gym, and it tends to unnerve the newer guys when they see him working his anger out."

"That's okay. I'm not hungry anymore anyway. Besides, Steph asked me to let Mary Lou and her family know she called."

Tank stood and took Lula's hand to help her up, a mannerism that had surprised Lula the first time but she now appreciated. This time he held on to her hand, though, and was looking thoughtful. "Maybe we can trace her back from your phone call… Baby, do you mind if we hack into your phone records?"

"Hack away, honey. I ain't got no secrets from you." She squeezed his hand and started toward the door. "Do you need my phone? I can use the one at the office. Connie won't mind."

"Thank you." Tank gave her a hug before he helped her into his SUV and drove her back to the bonds office. Then he headed back to Haywood.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Stephanie missed the noon bus because she stayed on the bench until her hands stopped shaking. It took a while. The only thing that kept her from crying was that she was in public.

After a while she collected herself, checked to make sure she had everything - including the turned-off phone - and headed back to the bus station. The next bus came through an hour later and she got on it.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Tank called the control room on the drive back to Haywood, and Lester answered.

"Lester, Steph just called Lula's cell while we were eating lunch. She blocked the number and she said she didn't even know where she was - she's been riding busses. Get someone on Lula's phone records, see if there's a way to pull up where that blocked call came from. Yeah, it came in at 1143 our time. Where's Ranger? Okay. I'll be there in a few."

He was right. Ranger had headed for the gym. At least Santos was keeping everyone else out of his way, and he and Bobby had the in-house monitors covered.

Ranger was barefoot and stripped to the waist, beating the hell out of the heavy bag when Tank slipped into the gym. _At least this time he has the gloves on_, Tank reflected with a grim smile. When he'd come back from New York empty-handed he'd messed his hands up bad, and it had taken Ella hours to clean up the blood.

Tank absently stood at parade rest, watching Ranger pummel the leather. His hair was loose and damp, and rivulets of sweat ran down his spine. There was a flurry of punches then, suddenly, he stopped.

"She wouldn't even talk to me."

Anyone else would have thought Tank's arrival had been unnoticed, but Ranger was rarely unaware.

"Lula told me some more of their conversation. Steph said she was out of time. But she also told us to tell you she'd call you tonight or tomorrow - and she promised, so you can be sure she will."

"Did she say where she is?"

"She doesn't know. She's been riding busses, getting on and off at random. And she blocked the caller ID."

"Fuck." The softly spoken word was just as frightening as a scream from any other man, but Tank didn't blink.

Ranger moved away from the bag and leaned against the wall, sliding down to sit with his head back. "She's making it damn near impossible to track her. She ditched all her trackers, all her accounts are closed. She's using only cash…" He trailed off with a frustrated noise. "What really sucks is she learned all that shit from us. And it never once crossed my mind."

"None of us realized," Tank agreed softly.

Ranger pulled the gloves off with his teeth and ran his fingers into his hair, fisting them and propping his elbows on his raised knees. Tank was at the point of wondering if he should say something when his phone vibrated, signaling a text message. He checked it and sighed.

"You have a visitor, boss. Morelli is downstairs asking to speak to you. He's carrying a letter."

"Let him up." He lifted his head and got easily to his feet. "We might as well compare notes."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Joe was met at the elevator by the familiar big black man that seemed to be Ranger's second in command, Tank. His eyes flicked to the empty hallway behind him and as he looked back to Tank's face his eyebrows went up.

"Ranger's in the gym," Tank said, but as he started to turn he hesitated. "She's not here, if that's what you're thinking. We can't track her. Ranger's not in a good mood, so try not to piss him off."

Joe had never heard Tank speak so many words but he kept his face blank and nodded. They couldn't track her? They'd been trying to find Stephanie, too? He'd thought she'd be at one of RangeMan's safe-houses.

He had enough curiosity about Ranger's closely-guarded building to glance around as Tank led him to the door of the gym. Not much on the third floor - storerooms, the gym, an alcove where the elevator and stairwell doors were. The walls were plain, the dark industrial carpet utilitarian, but it didn't look tired or dingy.

The gym took him by surprise. It was a large open room ringed with weight machines of all types and stands of free weights. Three long-deck treadmills sat in a row next to a door that seemed to lead to a locker room. The center of the room was covered in a large square martial-arts mat -- and there was Ranger, wet with sweat and wearing only his cargo pants, finishing some sort of kata or tai-chi thing with his back to the door.

Tank stepped to one side and let the door close behind them. For once Joe followed suit and waited without speaking until Ranger faced them.

Ranger looked calm, his face impassive. But thanks to Tank's warning Joe looked closer. Ranger's eyes weren't calm or blank. They looked like chips of obsidian.

"You got a letter, too. She's not here, Morelli, and I don't know where she is." Before Joe could speak he went on, "I know you won't take my word for it, so Tank will accompany you and let you look for yourself. I'll be in my office when you're done." With an abbreviated nod to Tank, Ranger turned and headed into the locker room.

Joe turned to Tank but before he could speak Tank shook his head. He then led the way back to the elevator.

"You want to search?" Tank asked when they reached the alcove.

"No, I believe you. And Steph's letter said she was leaving Trenton."

The elevator arrived and they stepped in. Tank pressed the button for the fifth floor.

"I got the letter three days ago," Joe said, deciding to lay his cards on the table. "Her phone goes directly to voicemail, the super at her apartment building says he got a letter saying she won't be returning, her mother and grandmother are upset. Frank, Mary Lou, and Lula seem to have known she was planning to leave, but none of them know where. Her car was burned, so as far as I know she's not driving, and her credit cards have been cancelled. That's all I know. What have you got?"

Since Morelli was being surprisingly reasonable, Tank reciprocated. "She carried two trackers, usually, one she knew about and one she didn't - or so we thought. She ditched them both, leaving one in her bedroom at her parents' house and one in Lula's car. She also left her cell behind. She left here just before midnight and apparently Lula took her to the bus station. We knew about the credit cards; she also closed her bank account and had just cashed an insurance check, so we think she left with between ten and eleven thousand in cash. Today just before noon she called Lula's cell to check in and say she's okay. She's been riding busses on a pass and changing at random, which makes it damn near impossible to find her. Even she's not sure where she is."

"Where the fuck did she learn that?" Joe demanded but with little heat.

"She did searches for us when she worked here. None of us realized how much she picked up from that - and believe me, we've been kicking ourselves."

"What about the phone call? Where was it made from?"

"She blocked the caller ID. We're working on it."

At the fifth floor they got out. Tank headed to the control room. Joe looked around with interest at the layout, noting the control room, offices, cubicles, and break room with a cop's eye for details, but he turned back when Tank spoke to a man at the bank of monitors.

"Anything?"

"Silvio's on it," Lester started to say, then he looked behind Tank to Morelli and clamed up.

"I'm not here as a cop. I'm worried about Stephanie, too."

Lester gave a small nod and then continued. "According to Lula's cell records, the call came from a cell tower somewhere in Ohio but that's all Silvio's got so far. He's still working on it."

"Ohio!" Joe exclaimed before he could stop himself, then shook his head and rubbed a hand across his face. "Christ."

Tank clapped a big hand on Joe's shoulder. "Let's get a cup of coffee and give Ranger time to get up here," he said, and led the way back to the break room. They sat at the table with their coffee, neither saying much, until the hush that heralded Ranger's arrival fell over the floor.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	8. CH 8 Checking In

_**A/N: No coherent thoughts today…**_

_Disclaimer: Characters so far belong to JE and are borrowed without permission. Although I'd keep them if I thought I'd get away with it…! Think JE would notice?_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Eight -- Checking In**_

Lula hung up the phone and pushed back from Connie's desk, sighing. She'd done as she'd promised Stephanie and called Mary Lou and Mrs. Plum. The latter had been difficult.

Connie was hovering nearby where she'd been eavesdropping, even though Lula had filled her in before making the calls.

"If that's what Steph had to listen to all the time I don't blame her for wanting to leave," Lula muttered. "That woman's got a mouth on her."

Connie snorted. "How many times did she mention Joe?"

"I stopped counting." Lula got up and headed for the sofa, letting Connie plop back into her chair. "Can't she see that man ain't good for our girl?"

"Ellen Plum only sees what she wants to see, and that's that Stephanie is over thirty with no ring on her finger."

"A ring is no guarantee. Didn't help last time, did it?"

"Like I said," Connie replied, "what she wants to see. She's old-fashioned and 'Burg. My mom was the same way until my sister had kids and took the pressure off me."

Lula grabbed a candy bar from her stash in the file cabinets and sat down again, thinking maybe having no momma around had some benefits. "Well, soon as I eat my snack I'll go lookin' for that sneaky skip again. It's a lot harder by myself and I don't have Steph's connections. I'm not sure if I'd make it if Tank didn't give me some backup when he can."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. Stephanie had luck, plus she had Ranger's help and she'd been doing it longer. You're not doing bad. You brought in that Alvin guy."

"Yeah…but it was a lot more fun with Steph."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Tank led Morelli to Ranger's open office door, tapped on the frame, and ushered him inside. Ranger was behind his desk leaning back in this chair, watching them come in. His face was blank and his eyes were, too, now. He had himself back under control.

Joe chose one of the client chairs in front of the desk and Tank took a seat on the sofa where he could watch both mens' faces. Joe's face was determined, but there was no anger. For once it seemed he was determined to get along.

He was also just a little impatient.

"I believe you that Stephanie isn't here. I was actually hoping she was." Ranger's eyebrow went up but Morelli plowed on before he could interrupt. "I know we've had our differences in the past, but things are different now. Steph and I called it quits a while back. I thought you two were working things out, until you left. And I know I'm partly to blame for her leaving. But I still worry about her and want to make sure she's okay. I was hoping we could help each other."

Ranger leaned forward as he listened, and now his loosely-clasped hands rested on the desk. The light caught on his still-wet hair, pulled back into his usual ponytail, as he nodded slightly in thought.

"Okay."

Tank saw Morelli's shoulders relax just a bit.

"You got a letter. Will you tell me what it says?" Ranger asked quietly.

Joe hesitated. "You can read it, if you want," he offered.

Ranger shook his head. "Not necessary. Just summarize."

"She apologized for blowing up at me the night of her apartment fire. And she said she was glad we could still be friends. She said she was tired of her life, being the source of entertainment for Trenton, and that she wanted to have some time away, time for herself. To be normal. She said she will be back when she feels ready."

Ranger nodded and took a slow breath. "My letter was similar. From what I can tell, she told everyone the same thing -- that she wanted some normal time."

"So why are we so worried?" Joe asked with a wry smile.

"Because we know Steph," Ranger answered, the corners of his lips twitching up.

Joe sighed. "Well, if she called Lula, we know she's okay so far. Any luck with that call trace?"

"It came from a cell tower just east of Columbus, Ohio. Silvio was able to hack into the system to find it was a pre-paid number. He's still looking."

Joe stood up, and Ranger and Tank did, too. "Well, if I can help, let me know. I'm sure you have ways I don't want to know about, but…would you keep me posted?" Morelli hesitated briefly then held out his hand.

Ranger shook it. "We will. Oh, and Morelli…the last skip she brought in?"

"He's back in jail after three days in the hospital. Why?"

"Steph had a lot of bruises."

Joe's mouth tightened but he didn't speak. He just nodded and turned to leave. Tank walked to the door and watched Morelli until he got into the elevator, then softly closed the door and turned to his friend.

"What else was in your letter? Something's got you on edge."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Stephanie couldn't settle down. She rearranged herself in the seat for the fiftieth time and dug out her water bottle to take a small sip. The bus was rolling through a busy city, staying in the far left lane to avoid most of the traffic. There was a lot of graffiti on overpasses and retaining walls thought the downtown area but little of it registered with her even as she stared out the window. Her mind was on Trenton…and Ranger.

Once again she felt torn in two. Part of her wanted to keep going and never go back, never have to hear her mother complain about her latest headline, or Joe yell that she was being crazy, or see money changing hands at the scene of her latest catastrophe. But she also wanted to go home. She missed her mom's cooking, her dad's silent support, and her grandmother's crazy schemes. She missed chasing skips with the unpredictable Lula.

And most of all she missed Ranger.

It scared her, how much she missed him. It wasn't like they got to spend all that much time together. Even after things ended with Joe and they'd become lovers, she didn't see him every day. One or two nights a week usually, and they saw each other in passing as they worked. She'd done two distractions during that time and after one of those he'd taken her home and made love to her. The other time he was short-handed because of a break-in across town and she drove herself home.

But still, she missed him. He'd always believed in her, had always been there for her. She missed the safe feeling of being held in his arms.

Calling him was going to be very hard. If he asked her to come back she wasn't sure what she'd do.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Mary Lou answered the doorbell and tried one more time to pry little Kenny loose from her leg. It took a full minute for her to figure out who the woman on her porch was.

"Valerie? What are you doing here? Come in, it's been a long time." She opened the door wider and Valerie hesitantly stepped in. Kenny, seeing a strange face, let go and ran back to find his brothers.

"I'm sorry, I know you're busy. I should have called first," Valerie said.

"Nonsense. You're welcome any time, it's always this way around here - too much testosterone in one house. Come into the kitchen and we can have a Coke. Where are your girls?"

"Mom's watching them for a couple of hours. I had some errands…and I wanted to talk to you."

Mary Lou sat down with two glasses of ice and a large bottle of Coke, filling the glasses. "You want to talk about Stephanie," she guessed.

Valerie seemed to relax just a little. "Yes. She told you she was going to leave, didn't she?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't she tell me? Do you know?" Valerie sniffed and covered by taking a sip of her Coke.

Mary Lou sighed. "She didn't tell me who else she told. I don't know, but maybe she didn't think you'd understand. Or maybe she intended to. I don't think she planned to go quite so quickly."

"Mom went ballistic."

"I can imagine!" Mary Lou said. "She never did understand half of what Stephanie got into." They shared a smile, then Mary Lou spoke again, "Listen, I think Lula called your mom, but Steph called Lula today at noon to tell her she was okay. Lula said she's riding busses and changing at random and doesn't even know where she is, but she sounded okay."

"Busses?" Valerie repeated blankly. "Why busses?"

"I asked Lula that. She says it's because you don't have to show an ID to get on a bus -- so it makes it harder to find her. Steph doesn't want Ranger to come after her."

"But she's in love with him…"

"I know. She has been for a long time, I think. But maybe it wasn't enough."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

By afternoon Stephanie knew she had to call Ranger tonight. If she didn't, she wouldn't sleep - hell, she probably wouldn't anyway.

They were coming into the edge of a fairly large town, big enough that the downtown area looked run-down and tired. She was very glad to see the bus passed that area before it slowed and turned. The station was old but well-kept, and there seemed to be a good variety of businesses in the area. She followed her now-usual routine of picking up a schedule and checking the times for the morning busses, then asked a security guard if he could point her in the right direction for a hotel.

There were some nice places nearby, but the closest one she could afford was six blocks away. Stephanie actually enjoyed the walk and the chance to stretch her legs after time on the bus. As she walked she watched the storefronts, and found a mom-n-pop bookstore that had ads for phone cards and internet in the front window. She stopped in.

They had phone cards and the phones, too. Steph had done some thinking, and she wasn't sure Ranger wouldn't be able to track the phone once she called him… So she emptied her wallet and bought another cheap phone and two cards, and used the internet at the store to activate the second phone and add the cards to each. Again, she wrote all the pertinent information on the second phone down in her notebook and carefully stowed it away. She had enough cash left in her wallet to get something for dinner if she was careful, but she'd need to get some out of the fanny pack or brace tonight.

It had clouded up and started to sprinkle by the time she reached the Comfort Inn, and she was glad to go inside. She hadn't had any luck finding dinner on the way.

"Single room, one night, cash," she recited at the front desk. The clerk glanced at her once then kept his eyes down, turned away from the bruise on her face. She'd almost forgotten about that. She'd have to try the makeup again.

She wrote the first name that came to mind on the registration form, glad she didn't have to prove it, and took they key she was given. Her room was on the third floor. She went up, changed clothes and washed out her shirt and underwear so they'd start drying, and got the phones out of her purse. She swore for a moment, because she'd gotten them mixed up and they looked alike, then found how to display the numbers. She dug a marker out of her purse and marked one ONE and the new one TWO, made sure they were both off, and plugged them in to charge the batteries.

Makeup didn't quite hide the green and purple on her cheek, but her hair was too short to use so she just did her best. She transferred some money into her wallet and went back to the lobby.

An older woman was behind the desk now, and Steph stopped to ask if there was a diner or something nearby.

"Oh, yes," the woman smiled. "There's a small restaurant on the corner about two blocks from here. They're a little slow, but the food is good and it's not expensive."

Stephanie thanked her but didn't get a step before the woman called after her.

"Miss! It started raining about ten minutes ago. Do you have an umbrella?"

Steph wrinkled her nose, which hurt her bruise. "No, but I won't melt."

"Well, here," the woman said, disappearing briefly below the desk. She held out a large umbrella with the hotel logo on it. "You can just return this when you come back in. I'd hate to see you get soaked."

Stephanie took the umbrella, thanked her again, and set out. There was an awning over the hotel door so she had a chance to get the umbrella up and look around before setting off into the rain. Soup sounded good, or maybe chili…

She ate lasagna, because it turned out to be a little Italian place. The service was slow, as warned, but she wasn't in a hurry. Her waiter was maybe twenty and of Italian descent but he spoke with a drawl, which struck her as funny. And even though he smiled at her, his eyes darkened when he noticed the bruise.

It was still raining when she left and she was glad now of the umbrella. The rain had chilled the air. Still, she walked slowly on the way back, looking in the shop windows. The drumming of the rain on the umbrella was somehow soothing. It really had nothing to do with putting off the phone call.

The same woman was behind the desk when Stephanie came back through the door. She'd shaken as much water off the umbrella as possible before releasing it so it wasn't dripping. She returned it to the woman with thanks, and told her the food had been excellent. Then she went up to her room.

It was still early. She didn't want to call Ranger until she was fairly sure he'd be done working for the day. Instead, she used the first phone to call Mary Lou.

"Your sister came to see me today," Mary Lou told her after they'd talked for a few minutes. "I think she was upset you didn't tell her you were leaving, or let her help. I told her I didn't think you'd actually planned to leave so quick."

"You're right. I thought it would be a few more days before I got my insurance check. I'm not sure I would have told Val, though… I didn't think she'd understand. But I'm glad you told her that. I didn't mean to upset her, and she did help-- she brought me some clothes."

"I'll call her and tell her that. Maybe it will help."

"Thanks, Mary Lou. I really didn't mean to upset anyone."

"I know. And I understand, really I do. But Val wasn't the only one upset. I heard Tank had to carry Lula out of a bar down by Stark the night you left, and Lula told me when you hung up with her yesterday, Ranger cussed so loud she heard him across the table from Tank's phone."

Steph didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry, Steph. He'll get over it. He's just worried about you -- and I don't think he likes it one bit that he can't find you."

Stephanie didn't know what to say to that, either, so she changed the subject and told Mary Lou she'd try to call again in a couple of weeks. A few minutes later they said good-bye and hung up.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_

_A/N: For all those who've asked… Ranger will talk to Tank about the contents of his letter in the next chapter, but you won't 'read' it. Sorry! _


	9. Ch 9 The Hardest Step

_**Disclaimer: You all know it.**_

_A/N: I guess my Muse is awake again. My fingers can't keep up, so please ignore any typos or goofs you may find._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Nine - The Hardest Step**_

_"What else was in your letter? Something's got you on edge."_

Tank watched Ranger get up to pace, something he'd rarely seen him do. Stephanie Plum was the only person living that could twist the man up this way -- and she didn't even seem to realize it.

"She came here." Ranger's voice was low and controlled. "The night before she left, she came here, to me. Do you know how rare that was? It was only the second time. I thought… I was going to ask her to move in here, with me." He stopped speaking, one hand raking through his hair and yanking the leather tie out.

Tank waited a full minute before prompting as gently as he could. "What did her letter to you say?"

Ranger spoke facing the window, so that Tank couldn't see his face.

"Some of it was the same as Morelli's - she apologized for yelling, and explained about wanting to get away from the 'Burg for a while." He paused, and when he continued his voice had dropped lower. "She thanked me for my help, for being there for her so many times, and said she appreciated all I'd done for her. And she said she loves me."

His voice caught, and Tank watched him take a deep breath before continuing, "She loves me. She said she wonders all the time what I see in her. She asked me not to be angry with her, that she would be back when she could face Trenton again. And that if I still wanted her then, she'd still be mine."

"Fuck," Tank swore softly. This was so screwed up. They had to find Steph.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Lester was fidgeting, watching the monitors and fighting the urge to call Silvio again. The man was hacking as fast as he could. He'd call the second he found anything else. Still, it was hard to wait -- and it had to be harder on Ranger. Man, love sucked.

He went over what they'd learned so far and was again surprised at Steph's ingenuity. She'd worked searches for them, part time, for what, three months? And she'd managed to pick up more than they'd ever imagined…

He was on the verge of picking up the phone again when it finally rang. Silvio sounded tired but jazzed. He had something new.

Lester put him on hold and ran for Ranger's office, knocking once then opening the door. The atmosphere was so charged that he came to an abrupt halt.

Tank looked at him and frowned. "What is it?"

"Silvio's on hold, line two. He's got a little more information."

Ranger pushed the button to put the phone on speaker. "What do you have?"

"I haven't got the phone number, but I got the ESN - electronic serial number. With that I was able to find out where it was sold. It was purchased at 1120 with cash at an internet café in Zanesville, Ohio, and activated via internet ten minutes later, probably at the same location."

"Where is Zanesville?"

There was the sound of papers shuffling, and then he answered, "It's about 45 miles east of Columbus."

"Is there a bus station nearby?" Tank asked.

Computer keys clicked this time. "Yeah - it's across the street."

"Schedule?"

"There was a bus at noon, and one at one-thirty."

"Heading the same direction?"

"No. Noon one went west; the other went south."

Ranger's hand balled into a fist. "Thanks, Silvio. Watch that ESN."

"Sure thing, boss."

Ranger disconnected and looked at Lester. "Can you be ready to jump if we get another fix on her?"

Lester looked surprised but nodded.

"Good. I have to be in Boston for an arraignment tomorrow, and I can't leave until after that."

"Get Zero to take over on monitors, and go get ready," Tank added. "We won't get much warning."

Lester left, and Ranger sat back down in his chair. "How long is her bus pass good?" he asked.

"Thirty days."

"If she keeps moving, I might not catch up to her until her ticket runs out."

"Yeah," Tank agreed, feeling helpless.

Ranger rubbed his hands over his face, muttering something under his breath. Tank thought he caught 'Bourne' and 'searches', but he wisely said nothing. Ranger squared his shoulders, opened a drawer, and pulled out the files he needed for the arraignment. "Twenty-one damned days left. _Dios mio_."

When Ranger opened the file, Tank slipped from the room.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Edna wished she'd gone with Stephanie. She'd been listening to Ellen bitch for a week straight and it was about to drive her out of her mind. And if her damned daughter went to the pantry one more time she was going to go and break that damned bottle.

"Oh would you SHUT UP!" she finally shouted. "Just listen to yourself! I don't blame Stephanie for leaving -- if I was her I wouldn't come back!"

"Mother!"

"Well, it's true! You always want her to settle down and be like everyone else. Why should she? How many of your friends' daughters could figure out how to bring in a man wanted for murder without getting hurt or hurting the man? How many have saved someone else's life? How many of them could endure being kidnapped, tortured, and nearly killed without landing in a funny farm somewhere? How many of _them_ have not one, not two, but probably, oh, a half a dozen men who would do _anything_ for her?"

Ellen opened and shut her mouth several times, then finally got her voice working. "I just want her to settle down and be happy. She needs a husband and children."

"Horse-hockey. You want her to be like everyone else. If you really want her to be happy, shut up. She's following her heart, just like you did when you married Frank. I wanted you to go to college and be a nurse like you planned all through high school."

Ellen sank into a chair across the table. "I meant to go on to college, but Valerie came along…"

Edna fixed her with a gimlet eye. "Yeah, and Valerie was a pretty good weight for being born a month premature."

Ellen had the grace to flush. "You knew?"

"Of course I knew, do you think I'm stupid?"

A much-subdued Ellen hung her head. "I'm sorry."

"How do you feel?"

"What?"

"How do you feel right now?" she repeated. "I've been bitching at you for five minutes. You've been raking Stephanie over the coals for five years. Think about it." And she pushed herself to her feet and went up to her room.

Ellen Mazur Plum sat still, thinking. The minutes passed and the kitchen grew dim around her, until finally the oven timer dinged and brought her back to herself. She stood, flipped on the light, and reached for her potholders. Her mother was right. She'd made her own decisions and had never regretted them. She owed her daughter the same right.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger got through the one file and then went upstairs early, unable to concentrate any longer. He changed, ate dinner alone, and tried to watch TV, all the while keeping his cell within arm's reach. Stephanie might call on the apartment phone, but he doubted it. He had Silvio watching all the lines, just in case.

He flipped through the channels again. Got up and got a beer. He tried to watch a movie but couldn't sit still, and now he was pacing restlessly again. Twilight was falling outside the windows.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Steph unpacked and re-packed her suitcase, checked to see if the things she'd washed out were dry yet, and re-arranged her few toiletries. It was still raining, and she watched it out the window for a while but she couldn't stand still. She took off her makeup and brushed her teeth, then changed into the boxer shorts and Ranger's black t-shirt so she was ready for bed.

Finally the daylight began to fade, and she couldn't put it off any longer. She reached for the phone and dialed.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	10. Ch 10 The Call

_**Disclaimer: Not mine - don't I wish.**_

_A/N: This one is short, but it was hard to write… Let me know how I did._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Ten -- The Call**_

Ranger was sitting in the recliner nursing a second beer when his phone finally rang. Slowly he leaned forward to sit the bottle on the coffee table, and picked up the cell. The caller ID was blocked, as he'd expected. He was almost afraid to answer it. What if he said the wrong thing?

But if he didn't answer, she might not call again.

Taking a deep breath, he flipped his phone open. "Yo."

"Ranger?" Steph's voice came through clear, as if she was in the next room. He closed his eyes and wished she was. "Are you busy?"

"I'm never too busy for you, Babe. I've been waiting for your call."

"I didn't want to bother you while you were working," she said quietly.

"Babe." His voice came out rough and he had to work to sound normal. "Hearing from you is more important to me than work. I needed to hear your voice."

"I'm sorry I didn't say good-bye," she said, and from the slight tremble in her voice he knew there were tears on her cheeks. "I was afraid you'd ask me not to go, and I really needed to get away."

"I understand. I don't like it, but I understand. _Querida_, I wish you'd told me how you felt…I would take you anywhere you wanted to go, for as long as you wanted to stay."

"I know. And that just makes it harder. I miss you…" She was crying now and his own eyes were burning. "I would give almost anything to have your arms around me right now."

"Just tell me where, and I'll be there by morning," he whispered, not trusting his voice.

Stephanie half-laughed, half sobbed, "That's why I don't look - if I knew where I was, I'd tell you. I didn't know it would hurt this much."

"Babe, please don't cry," he begged, aching to hold her and dry her tears. "Everything will be okay. I promise I won't push, Babe. I miss you, too, and just want to know you're okay." He could tell she was holding her breath, trying to stop her tears. If she couldn't get control he knew she'd hang up, and that fear pushed him to keep talking, trying to calm her -- and for once he didn't censor his words. "Breathe, Babe. I love you, and I only want you to be happy. If you need time I understand. I'm not going anywhere."

"Ranger? You love me?"

He chuckled in spite of himself at her shocked tone. "Yes, _nena_, I love you, although I wished to tell you in better circumstances. I've been in love with you for a long time. When I read in your letter that you loved me--" his voice broke, "I should have told you."

He could barely hear her whispered, "I love you, too."

It was sweet torture to hear the words and not have her in his arms. Even worse to hear her soft sobs. He racked his brain for something, anything…

"Are you on a bus now, _querida_?" he asked softly, forcing the pain from his voice.

"No…I'm in a hotel, sitting on the bed." She took a shaky breath and he knew she was making an effort to calm herself. "I'm wearing the shirt I stole from you."

"So that's where it went," he said with a smile. "What did you eat for dinner?" He kept his voice soft, coaxing her to talk about normal things, helping her calm down. He listened as she told him about walking in the rain. She told him her bruises were healing, and how some people wouldn't look her in the face.

"How are you carrying your money? That's a lot of bulk."

"Most if it is in a fanny pack under my clothes. Some is in the lining of a knee brace. I only keep a small amount in my wallet."

"Smart girl. You learned this shit too well, Babe. All my men are scrambling and we haven't been able to find you," he said lightly. "Gave us all quite a wake-up call."

She was quiet so long he bit his lip, wondering if he'd said the wrong thing. Finally she broke the silence.

"The guys are looking for me?" Her voice shook slightly. "Please, Ranger, don't waste your money. Call them off. I can't come back yet."

"Babe--"

"Please, Ranger!"

"Promise me you'll call me if anything happens. Promise me, Babe, and I'll stop the search."

"I will, I promise."

He let out a breath and watched his fist clench and re-clench. "Thank you."

"There's a card with the RangeMan number in my wallet, too," she whispered, "Just in case."

The ache in his chest was back, making it hard for him to breathe. "Will you call me sometimes, so I'll know you're okay?"

"I don't know," she said slowly. "It's hard to hear your voice… I will keep in touch, find some way to send messages… Okay?"

"It will have to be," he sighed. "As long as I know you're okay. I love you, Steph. Remember, when you're ready, I'll be waiting."

"I love you," she whispered, then the line went dead.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	11. Ch 11 End of the Road

_**A/N: There's a new poll up on my profile page. It doesn't necessarily pertain to either of my current stories… I'm just curious and feeling things out.**_

_Disclaimer: Characters so far belong to JE and are used without permission. Cities mentioned do exist (and even have bus stations!) but businesses and people are fictional._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Eleven – End of the Road**_

Ranger sat holding his cell for several long minutes, debating with himself, then set it down and rubbed his face. He'd told Steph he'd call his men off the search if she'd promise if she need help she'd call him - and he would do it. But he hadn't promised _he'd_ stop looking. He picked up the house phone and called Silvio. "Did you get anything?" he asked calmly.

"The call originated from a cell tower in Louisville, Kentucky -- same ESN number."

"Get Santos on a plane."

He hung up and dropped the phone on the table. He'd have Lester try to verify Steph's location, but not approach. She might call it cheating but he needed to make sure she was okay for his own sanity. He'd ask forgiveness later.

Sighing, he got to his feet. He might as well get dressed and head to Boston tonight. He wouldn't be sleeping anyway.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Stephanie had cried herself to sleep after talking to Ranger, but as darkness fell the hotel sign outside her window had come on and the bright blinking light woke her up. She sighed and untangled her legs from the sheets, heading into the bathroom to rinse her face. Her eyes were red and puffy and went well with the greenish bruise on her cheek- she looked like an extra from a horror movie. She needed an ice pack.

First things first - she couldn't sleep with the blinking light. She closed the shades but they didn't block much, so she pulled the bedspread off the bed and, standing on the room's lone chair, tried to tuck it over the curtain rod. It was helping, and she was almost done when the chair wobbled and she threw her hands out for balance. One hand braced against the wall, but the other dislodged one of the ceiling tiles. Reaching carefully, she finished securing the bedspread, then tried to fix the tile -- and saw that on the wall just above it was an old electrical outlet.

She replaced the tile and got down, pulled some clothes on, and went looking for ice. Ten minutes later she was back with a small ice-bucket nearly full and a bottle of Coke. She poured some Coke over ice in a glass, fixed an ice pack with the extra hand towel, and lay down on the bed again.

After a while the ice-melt began to trickle into her hair and she was still thinking about the hidden outlet. Why would there be one above the ceiling tile? Giving up on sleep, she sat up and turned the bedside lamp on, looking around the room with more curious eyes.

The hotel was older than she'd first assumed. It had been remodeled very nicely, but the dropped ceilings had been added. Since the outlet was right over the window, maybe there had once been a window air conditioner?

It still bugged her, and she finally decided her tired brain was trying to tell her something. The call to Ranger had exhausted her… Call. Phone. That was it.

She dug one of the phone manuals out of her purse and turned to the page about caller ID blocking... Yes, there. She could set the phone to block caller ID all the time, and to automatically forward calls to another number.

There wasn't a lot of time-units left on the ONE phone but she could add more from the internet. She set the phone to block caller ID and forward calls to Mary Lou, plugged in the charger, and propped the phone carefully against the support channel in the ceiling. Then she replaced the tile.

It was raining again when she set the little alarm clock and lay back down. She finally fell asleep listening to far-off thunder.

She slept hard but not long, and woke with bloodshot eyes. Makeup didn't help much. She repacked, stocked up her snacks and water and was on the first bus out of town.

For the next four days and nights she rode, sleeping most of the time, getting off only to refill her water or change busses. In the back of her mind she knew it was probably a form of depression but she didn't care. She just wanted to sleep.

The fifth day she was so sore from sitting that she could barely walk. She got off during the early-afternoon in yet another mid-sized town and decided to stay for a couple of days to get a little exercise and do her laundry. She'd call her parents right before she left again. Her mother probably had a lot to say.

There was a small hotel six blocks from the bus station. It took two blocks to get the kinks out of her legs and by the time she got checked in she decided she'd live. Once in her room she locked the door, stretched out on the bed, and slept for three hours.

First on her agenda when she woke was laundry. She dumped her suitcase, gathered her things, and got started. Back in her room an hour later with clean clothes, she turned on the TV for company while she cleaned out her purse. A lot of empty wrappers and loose change had accumulated in the bottom of it, and it was hard to find anything.

Her room was designed for two beds - there were two headboards bolted to the wall - but one was missing. She used the extra floor space and did some stretching exercises, which helped her back and legs quite a bit. And she went for a long walk before she settled on a place to eat dinner.

There was a small public library three blocks from the hotel that had a sign saying internet was available. It had closed for the night, but maybe tomorrow she'd check it out.

The walking had tired her out and she was asleep before it was even dark, and woke very early feeling much revived.

Breakfast was coffee, cereal, and some fruit courtesy of the hotel. She headed straight to the little electronics store she'd spotted and bought another phone, same model, and took it with her to the library. She arrived just as they opened, and was able to use a computer to activate the new phone. Chewing her lip, she opened the home page of the cell company Ranger used, and clicked on the 'send text message' tab… She wasn't too sure if Silvio could trace this back to the computer she used - he probably could - but she hoped it would at least take a while. It took her a while to decide what to say that could be sent in the limited space, but she finally just wrote that she was still okay.

She sent a text to Lula, too, and told her she was developing bus butt, hoping it would make her laugh.

Back at the hotel she dropped her ink pen and while she was on her knees trying to find it, she found an electric outlet nearly hidden by the headboard -- and a hiding place for phone TWO. She called home and got her father - it was salon day, she'd lost track - and let him know she was okay. When she checked out the next morning, she left phone TWO behind.

She left phone THREE in a different state behind a dresser and activated a fourth. From it she could call ONE to talk to Mary Lou, TWO called home, and THREE went to Lula. And just to be careful, she blocked caller ID every time.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Lester left his suitcase in the control room and just took the envelope of pictures with him to find Ranger. He'd just come back from spending four sixteen-hour days in Louisville, Kentucky trying to track Stephanie and he had a whole new respect for her intelligence and tenacity. But Ranger wasn't going to like what he'd found.

Ranger was in his office. Lester tapped on the doorframe.

Ranger looked up from his desk, blinked, and then the ghost of a smile quirked his lips. "Jeezus, Santos, you look like you were on a bender."

"I felt better the day after that trip to Tijuana," Les retorted, resisting the urge to rub his stubbly face. "But I wanted to get this over with. I can't decide whether to be pissed or proud."

"No sign of her?" Ranger asked, once again serious.

"I found where she'd been," he said, walking to the desk. "She was long gone. Take a look at this." He handed Ranger the envelope of pictures he'd taken of the phone he'd finally located, hidden above the ceiling tile in the room Stephanie had used. It had taken two days just to check all the hotels for someone matching the vaguest description of her. "I got lucky and the night clerk at this hotel remembered her, but I had to swear I wasn't the one who bruised Steph's face before she'd talk to me. It was raining the night Steph was there, and desk clerk loaned her an umbrella to walk to the restaurant a couple of blocks down. She said Steph's hair is short now."

Ranger looked through the pictures then leaned back in his chair. Lester thought he was prepared for every possible reaction, but the low chuckle took him by surprise.

"That's my Babe. You'd think by now we would have learned never to underestimate her." He sighed. "I promised her I'd call my men off searching for her."

"But--" Lester tried, but Ranger interrupted.

"I'm ordering the search stopped," he repeated, "that doesn't mean _I'm_ going to quit looking. She wants time and space and as long as I know she's okay I'm willing to give her that. She is calling someone to check in once in a while, and today she sent me a text message - from the carrier's web page, the little minx."

"Where'd she learn that trick?" Lester asked.

"I have no idea."

Lester shook his head when Ranger smiled again. The man had it bad. He knew Ranger could be a very patient hunter but he wondered how long the man would wait before he went after her.

"Go get some sleep before you fall down," Ranger said. "You can take a few days off, but I need you next week. Do you remember Simon Gates and Jason Caine from Seals?"

"Yeah, why?"

"They're coming in Monday to talk employment. I need you to meet their plane and feel them out a little. They've been working private security in DC for the last couple of years and I'd like you to see if they've changed, unofficially, before they interview."

"Will do." He was so tired he almost saluted but caught himself. Giving Ranger a nod, he headed back to his vehicle. He chuckled to himself in the elevator. Ranger was hiring… That meant he wasn't going to wait very long.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

It was the early hours of the morning on her twenty-sixth day of traveling when Stephanie's bus rolled through Kansas City. She knew it was Kansas City because two guys sitting across the isle from her starting singing "Kansas City Lights" softly, then laughed. She watched the city go by outside the window, a little surprised at the size of it. Parts of the downtown area reminded her of Stark Street. The bus didn't stop and she was glad.

The sun was up by the time they reached the edge of Lawrence. It was a good-sized town with a large college, according to the billboards, but right now it was summer break. Steph didn't care. She just wanted off the bus. She was hot and tired and had been on the bus so long she'd reached the point where it felt strange not to be moving. The hum of tires was a constant ring in her ears. Nothing on earth could make her get back on a bus in the near future.

There was a small booth area in the station with tourist information, and Stephanie found a folded map of the town with places of interest marked. Among them were hotels, restaurants, historical landmarks, and bars. The bus station was marked, too, which let her get her bearings quickly. Most of the 'business' district seemed to be along the same street as the station, and most of the hotels were to the east, so that's the direction she started walking.

It was hot and humid, and the wind was constant. Stephanie was again glad she'd gotten her hair cut short – her curls would have been a giant rats' nest in this weather. By the time she reached the end of the next block she was sweating.

The streets were busy but there were few people on the sidewalks. Most people she saw just went from vehicle to building and back.

It was worse when she crossed the street to head toward the Super-8 sign she could see a few blocks away and was walking in the sun. Her skin felt as if it was frying. When she crossed the street the asphalt was soft in places – soft enough to leave footprints.

If there was smog it would almost feel like Trenton.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	12. Ch 12 It's All In The Timing

_**Disclaimer: New characters and the story are mine. People you recognize belong to JE and have been stolen…temporarily.**_

_A/N: Couldn't sleep… Thanks to Gavri for the slightly different slant idea, and to Alfi (Lisa/Alfonsina.d) for being awake when I yell for help!! And as ALWAYS, thanks to everyone who reviews, because your comments help me stay motivated and on track._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 12 – It's All In The Timing**_

Stephanie stopped at a convenience store on the way to the hotel to use the bathroom, transfer some cash to her wallet, and buy a new bottle of water. The wind was really drying her out.

Whoever told her Kansas was flat was a liar, she decided as she trudged up an incline to the hotel doors. The back of her calves burned and the hair around her face was wet with sweat. She was seriously out of shape, and riding busses hadn't done her legs any favors. The desk clerk looked like a college girl, all blonde and perky, and all Stephanie wanted to do was take a shower and lay down.

The room was average and a little on the warm side, although the air conditioner came on cool when she adjusted it. She opened her suitcase on the second bed and pulled out the plastic bag of dirty clothes, searching for clean things underneath, and went to take a shower.

One of the nicer things about short hair, she reflected several hours later when she woke from a nap, was that all you had to do was wet it and comb it down to fix bed-head. In the three-plus weeks since the haircut her hair had already grown almost a half an inch, and it seemed darker. Steph shrugged and put on some makeup, glad that her bruise was now faded enough that it didn't take much to cover it.

She wore the drawstring pants to cover the knee brace and put the room key in her purse, then set out with the map to look around and find something to eat. Her trip so far had been very frugal but tonight she wanted real food, so she started walking.

The sun was low in the sky and much less intense now, but heat still radiated up from the sidewalk and pavement. The wind was still blowing, and the street was still busy, so Steph took her time and looked around as she walked, paying attention to everything around her. A few of the shops she passed were still open and the businesses - on this street, anyway – looked fairly well-kept. Still, if it was dark when she walked back she'd keep her stun-gun handy just in case.

She ate dinner in a small Chinese place with a buffet, surprising herself by choosing dishes with lots of vegetables, and she stuffed herself a little too full. By the time she rolled out of the door it was dusk and the temperature was finally falling. She walked a little further and found a couple of thrift-stores that looked pretty clean, and from what little she could see through the window it seemed like they might do a good business with college kids. Another block and her eye caught on a sign that said "BABES".

It was on a bar. Well, a bar and grill. Above the "Babes" was "Bear's" and Steph couldn't resist checking it out. The neighborhood was nice enough that she felt pretty certain it wasn't a topless bar. Still, she just slipped in and to one side, looking around.

The place was bigger than it looked from outside, and the 'Babes' made sense as soon as she looked around. The walls were dotted with pictures and posters of women through the ages who'd been unconventional – like Rosie the Riveter during WWII and the women who'd been on the women's baseball league. The music was classic rock and loud but not obnoxious, the place looked pretty clean, and there wasn't much smoke hanging in the air. She decided to go in. A beer would taste really good – she hadn't had one in over a month.

From habits ingrained from doing distraction work, Steph walked around the edge of the bar noting which booths were occupied and by whom, until she found a short hall that led to the restrooms. The ladies' room was fairly clean, painted a neutral sand color, with three stalls and stone-looking tile on the floor and countertop. The window was glass block. Steph caught a glimpse of the men's room from the hall and it was nearly a duplicate. The only other door in the hall was marked "Employees Only" and was locked.

She found a seat at the end of the bar against the wall. There was one waitress, a blonde woman probably in her twenties and pleasant looking. The bartender was big and dark and likely Native American with black hair in a braid nearly to the middle of his back. A man at the bar called him 'Bear' – and that explained the rest of the bar's name.

When Bear turned to her she asked for a Corona. She was a little surprised when he gave her a hard look.

"You got ID?" he asked.

Stephanie was so surprised she just stared at him for a beat and then laughed. She hadn't been carded since she was nineteen! She got out her license and handed it to him. "You get good tips this way?" she asked with a smile.

He looked at her ID and his eyebrows went up. "Sorry, we have to watch it with the college in town," he explained as he handed it back, "and you don't look your age. You're a long way from home."

She just smiled and paid for her beer. Bear went to fill the waitress' order and Stephanie leaned back against the wall and listened to the music.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Tank and Lester were sitting in a Bronco behind a bar a few blocks off Stark, waiting for a skip to show himself outside. Hal and Woody were inside in plain clothes, keeping an eye on their target. They'd alert Tank and Lester when he was coming out. So far he didn't seem to be in any hurry.

"Christ, I forgot what a pain it was to grab a skip from bars," Lester grumped after two hours had gone by. "And it's damned boring. I think Hal and Woody have spoken eight words between them so far."

Tank's white smile seemed to float in the darkness like a Cheshire Cat's. "Now you're starting to sound like Bombshell on a stake-out," he chuckled, then he shifted slightly in his seat and sighed. "But I know what you mean. Stephanie got us spoiled once Ranger got her started doing distractions. She could lure men out in no time flat."

"She was entertaining while she did it, too," Lester agreed with a fond smile. He laughed softly. "Remember that first gig, the comment about group sex night? Man, I'll never forget the look on Ranger's face!" Both men laughed, then Lester sobered and sighed.

"Yeah," Tank agreed softly. "I miss her, too."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

The bar was nearly half full for most of the night, and both the bartender and the blonde girl were kept busy. The small kitchen through a doorway behind the bar cranked out onion straws, fried cheese sticks, and grilled sandwiches periodically. Bear did the cooking, running back and forth as necessary. It was nearly one when the place started slowing down, and Steph was sipping the last of her second beer, when the waitress came up to the bar with a tray full of dirty glasses.

"Any luck with the interviews today, Bear?"

"One was underage, one had no green card, and one was a no-show."

"It's been two weeks!"

"It doesn't seem like anyone wants to work this summer."

Stephanie leaned forward on her stool. "Excuse me, are you taking applications for a job?"

Bear looked at her. "You looking for one?"

"Depends on the job."

Bear grinned. "I need a waitress that can do a little short-order cooking and doesn't mind bussing tables and helping clean. Why are you looking for a job here? I thought you were from out of state."

Steph shrugged a little. "I'm between jobs. I thought I'd stay here for a while, see a different part of the country."

"So are you interested in the job?"

"I'm not a great cook," Steph said honestly, "but I've waited tables before and I don't mind cleaning."

A group of people came in, most of them wearing similar shirts, and the waitress went over to help them put tables together. Bear looked at them then turned back to Steph. "Come by tomorrow, about one-thirty or two. I don't open until three but I'll be in here, just knock on the doors. We can talk about it then."

"Okay," she agreed.

He moved away to fill new orders. Stephanie slipped off the barstool and left.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Tank signed the paperwork and handed the clipboard back to the nurse, turning to see if Hal was done yet. Damned fool skip. The idiot had pulled a knife on them in the parking lot, managing to nick Hal before Les got him with a stun-gun, and then he'd managed to smack his head on the brick going down. Now Hal was getting stitches and Lester, being the only other man in uniform, was stuck upstairs babysitting the prisoner in the lock-down ward until the cops picked him up in the morning. The whole night had been a cluster-fuck.

It didn't get any better when he turned and saw Lula coming into the emergency room white-faced and holding her arm.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	13. Ch 13 Adjustments

_**Disclaimer: New characters and the storyline are mine. Everyone else belongs to JE and are used without permission. Lawrence is a real town but I'm making up the businesses as I go along to suit my own evil purposes.**_

_A/N: Not much on the Trenton home front this chapter, but I'll do more in the next one._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 13 - Adjustments**_

Tank started toward the door and Lula. He'd only gone a few steps when Woody came in behind her. He'd been waiting in the Bronco and saw her coming across the lot.

"Lula, baby, what happened?" Tank put an arm around her, careful not to jostle her left arm. He could see deep purple bruising starting to form and it was swelling.

"A skip slammed his door on my arm," she whispered, as if it hurt too much to talk out loud. "I think it's broke."

Tank thought she was right.

Hal came out of the curtained cubicles then, with ten new stitches and his arm wrapped in gauze.

"Woody, take Hal back to RangeMan or home, whichever he wants. I'll wait with Lula and drive her home in her car. Page me if any more shit happens tonight. I hope to God Ranger's having better luck with Caine."

Woody nodded. "Take care of Lula," he said, and he took Hal and left. Tank turned his attention to taking care of his lady.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

The police station was busy when Ranger and Caine, the new ex-Navy hire, took in the skip they'd picked up dealing on Stark. Ranger was surprised to see Morelli manning the intake desk and looking harassed.

"Morelli, what's going on to have you on desk duty? You okay?"

Joe looked up and blinked, surprised to hear a thread of concern in Manoso's voice. "I'm okay. I'm just standing in for Eddie until he gets back from the hospital."

"Hospital?"

Joe sighed and started over. "It's been a busy night. A suspect being brought in for questioning made a break for it tonight and slugged one of the rookies, and the handcuffs sliced him open along his jaw. Eddie had to take him in for stitches." He paused to give Ranger a mirthless smile. "My cousin's on duty tonight. She said one of your guys was in for stitches earlier, and that another big black guy that I'm assuming is Tank stayed when a black woman came in. Sounds like everyone is having a bad night."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Steph slept but kept waking up thinking she was on the bus. When she woke and it was light outside she gave up and took a shower. She was out of clean clothes again. Fortunately the hotel had a coin laundry room. She dressed in a pair of boxer shorts and a tank top and washed her small wardrobe of clothes. If she got that job today she'd have to get some more clothes otherwise she'd be doing laundry constantly.

Once her clothes were dry and she'd gone back to her room, she changed into jeans and a slightly nicer shirt and put makeup on. She packed her stuff back up out of habit and put her suitcase in the small closet before she headed out.

The hotel breakfast area was still serving, so she stopped and had some cereal and two cups of coffee with sugar and cream. She fixed a third to take with her.

She walked slowly and detoured through several stores that interested her, including two thrift stores, and reached Bear's Babes just after one. She leaned in a shady spot in the doorway until the time on her phone said one-thirty, then she knocked. No one came but she was patient. Soon she saw Bear come into the hall through the locked door and she knocked again. He came right over and let her in.

"Hey, I'm sorry if you had to wait. With the luck I've been having lately I didn't think you'd show up until two if at all."

"I wasn't here long."

Bear led the way to a booth in the corner. "Have a seat. Want a cola or some water?"

"I'd love a Coke."

He went behind the bar and fixed two Cokes with ice and straws. When he came back he put the drinks on the table and sat down across from her.

"I don't do formal, so let's just talk. My name is David Navarre. As you may have noticed, I'm Native. My Native name is Strong Bear. Most folks around here just call me Bear. This is my place. I own the building, and I live upstairs." He grinned, his smile very white in his coppery skin. "Did I forget anything?"

Stephanie grinned back. "How come you named your place after…" she looked at the pictures all around, searching for the right word, "_unconventional_ women?"

Bear's smile got bigger. "Actually, my grandmother and mother both were pretty _unconventional_ women in their time. I suppose it was inevitable that I'd have a thing for them when I was grown."

In the brighter light of day Stephanie could see fine lines around Bear's eyes and revised her estimation of his age up about seven years.

"So that's all about me. Now, what's your story? I have the feeling there's a good one to go with that bruise on your cheek."

Stephanie's hand few up to cover it involuntarily and her eyes went wide. Then to Bear's surprise, she laughed. "You've got good eyes – it's almost completely gone even without my makeup."

She decided to stick close to the truth, because something in Bear's demeanor reminded her of Ranger and she guessed he was ex-military. He'd spotted the bruise – he could probably spot lies, too. "It's a really long story so I'll spare you the details. I was working as a skip-tracer back east, and the bruise was a souvenir from the last skip I took in. I left the job and the town because too many criminals learned where I live and it wasn't safe for me any more. I have an ex-boyfriend who thinks he should still have a say in my life, and a boyfriend who thinks he needs to protect me, and I'd had enough. So I guess you could say I'm running away from home."

"Don't you have friends or family to help you?"

"My mother sides with my ex-boyfriend," she said wryly. "Not a lot of help."

Bear gave her an appraising look. Steph watched him back steadily, not flinching. Finally he leaned back with a chuckle. "Damned if I don't believe you. You sure don't look like any bounty-hunter I've ever seen."

"Now here's the complicated part. Both the men in my life have, um, connections in law enforcement and security. I've been staying off the grid as much as possible because as soon as something flags, one or both of them will show up. I'm not ready to go home yet. Is there a way I can work for cash without causing you trouble? Because if not I won't waste your time."

"Have you got someplace to stay for a day or two?"

"Hotel."

"Okay," he said slowly, still giving her a considering look. "Let's give the job a trial run. Work a night or two and I'll pay you cash at close. If things jell, we'll work something out. If not, no harm done, right?"

Steph smiled. "That sounds good to me. Want me to start tonight?"

Bear laughed at her eagerness. "If you want. But I need a name to call you."

"Oh!" Steph exclaimed, flushing. "Sorry. My name is Stephanie Plum, but please you can call me Steph." She offered him her hand and he shook it.

"Oh, I think you'll find yourself with a nickname before the night is out. My customers are strange that way. My other waitress is named Angela, but they've dubbed her "Angel". With your accent you'll probably get called "Jersey."

"Just Jersey?" Steph laughed. "What, they've never heard of the Jersey Devil?"

He took her into the back room and started showing her around, starting with the small bank of old school lockers for employee's belongings. She put her purse inside. He gave her a small padlock, with a key on a black spring bracelet. A second key with a black dot marking it he dropped back in the safe in his small office.

There was a small table and a few chairs in the back, a back door into the kitchen area, a small employees-only bathroom, and storage for dry goods. A walk-in cooler room held beer, the tapped kegs for the drafts, the setup for the soft drinks, and various foods found on the menus as foods or drink ingredients. There was a freight elevator and a set of stairs, both of which seemed to go both up and down.

"During really busy times of the year we store extra beer in the basement, but not usually. There's a store room upstairs for extra paper goods and dry snacks like chips and nuts. My apartment is on the second floor, too. There's a back door over here, which, if you stay, I'll give you a key to. Now, I need to eat before I open. You like grilled cheese?"

He cooked, and she made herself useful setting the chairs down off the tables. They ate with only minimal small talk – he was an excellent grill cook – and then Angela came in.

Her eyes met Stephanie's and she smiled. "Oh, you came back! Bless you, I couldn't handle another night solo."

"Well, I'm a little rusty at waiting tables but I'll do my best. My name's Stephanie, and you're Angela, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "You might as well call me Angel, everyone else does. Where are you from?"

She put her own things in her locker and showed Steph where cleaning supplies, rubber and latex gloves, dust pans and the like were kept. She began showing her the usual opening rituals as they chatted, wiping down the table tops and booth seats, wiping the seats of the chairs and making sure none of them were loose. They straightened the salt and pepper shakers and filled the sweetener dispensers and napkin holders on the tables. Bear showed her where things were kept behind the bar and quizzed her on some of the popular mixed drinks. She knew quite a few. Angela prepped some fruit – lime and lemon wedges, frozen strawberries for daiquiris, etc, and Bear unlocked the door.

Angela fixed herself a Coke in a cup with her name written on it in silver marker. She wrote Steph on a cup and motioned for her to help herself. "Bear doesn't want us to drink alcohol on the clock, but after we close the doors you can have a beer or a drink if you want. Pop is free to us. Any questions, just ask."

She got out small clean aprons for each of them, found pens and order pads and stuck a small handful of straws in one of the pockets. Steph followed suit.

"If you want to start slow, you can follow me for a few tables, then I'll stay and let you do a couple. When you're comfortable we can split the room.

Customers started trickling in shortly after three-fifteen, mostly college-aged kids who got food and soft drinks. A few ordered beer, and Angela made a point to show Stephanie how to tell an under-age ID with the new Kansas licenses. The policy was to card anyone that appeared to be under the age of twenty-six, and they did. Very few customers complained.

By five Angela felt confident Steph could handle everything okay, especially after she heard the crushing put-down she zinged one of the regular pain-in-the-ass customers with. The rest of the guys at the table groaned for him but Steph just gave them a polite smile and raised eyebrows.

Angela looked to see if Bear had seen. He had, and they shared a smile. Oh, yeah. Before then night was out Steph had been dubbed the Jersey Devil to accompany Angel and the Bear.

By the time the doors were locked, Steph was nearly exhausted. The bar and grill was a popular place and promised to be even more so when classes at the college were in session. Still, she was not going to leave extra work for Angel and Bear. She pulled on latex gloves and cleaned the tables, chair seats, and booths with a strong disinfectant. Angel went ahead of her emptying the tabletops, putting empty glasses in a bus tub and condiments on a large tray. Bear was cleaning in the kitchen and bar areas. Angel put the chairs up and started mopping, and Steph went to clean the public restrooms. Then she cleaned the employee restroom.

Bear brought her an envelope with her night's wages and told her to keep her tips while she was hanging the apron in her locker getting ready to leave. "What hotel are you at?"

When she told him he offered to drive her back.

"There's no need, I can walk."

"That's a lot of cash to be carrying. What if someone tries to mug you?"

Steph smiled and pulled her stun-gun out of her bag, the 'charged' light flashing. "No problem"

Bear gave a startled laugh, and Angel cracked up at the look on his face. "Okay, I get the message. Do you have a phone number where I can reach you?"

Steph had to look at her prepaid phone but gave him the number, then said goodnight and left. As soon as the door closed behind her, Angela looked at Bear and grinned.

"She'll do," they both said at the same time, and grinned.

Angela left out the back door, and Bear turned out all but the security lights, sending a wistful smile toward one of the photos on the wall near the bar. Yeah, his mom would have liked this Jersey Devil woman.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	14. Ch 14 Marking Time

_**A/N: Before I forget again, I've got a new poll up on my profile page. It doesn't have anything to do with either of my current storylines, really, just curiosity. But please go take the poll!**_

_Disclaimer: Bear, Angel, and the Babes bar are my creations, the characters you recognize belong to JE and are being used without permission. Again._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 14 – Marking Time**_

It had been three and a half weeks since Stephanie pulled her disappearing act, and RangeMan felt more military than it had it years. Ranger was on edge, emotionally locked down, and seemed more like a Commanding Officer than he had since the Trenton office had first opened. Most of the original men didn't care for it much but they understood, and the new hires didn't know the difference.

Lester especially hated it. It just felt…wrong. And it seemed to be spreading like a virus to the rest of Trenton. Crime rates were up; there seemed to be some sort of alarm on one of their accounts nearly every day. The bonds office was too quiet. And going into the police station was about as entertaining as a trip to the morgue. He couldn't remember the last time Eddie joked with him, and Detective Morelli looked just plain grim.

Tank was working his butt off getting the new hires trained and up to speed, and he spent all his off time with Lula, who was dealing with depression along with her broken arm.

Something had to give soon. Ranger had officially called off the search for Stephanie -- but that didn't mean Lester couldn't look on his own time. Two more hours until shift change…

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

The strident ring preset on the little phone jolted Stephanie awake, but it took her a moment to identify the noise. It took several more to cross the room to where it lay on the cheap dresser.

The called ID said Navarre, D.

"Hello?" Steph answered with her voice still half-asleep.

"Steph? This is Bear. Did I wake you?"

Bear. Right. Her new boss. She squinted her eyes at the little alarm clock and saw it was not quite eleven in the morning.

"Yeah, but that's okay. Is something wrong?"

"No, and I apologize for waking you up with the phone. I just have a couple of questions for you. Do you want me to call back later?"

"No, that's ok. I'm awake now." Steph moved to sit on the corner of the bed. "Ask away."

"The two men you say might show up looking for you. Is either one of them dangerous?"

Steph started to say no then hesitated. That wasn't entirely true, about either Ranger or Joe. "Yes and no," she finally said. "They can be, but not to me or anyone else unless there's a reason."

"Fair enough. I know you said you've been traveling – do you have much in the way of belongings right now?"

"No. I can carry everything I own right now."

"I thought you fit in real well at the bar last night, and you did a good job -- especially for a first night. Angel got along with you and we both think you can handle our usual customers just fine. The job is yours for as long as you want it."

Steph smiled to herself in relief. "Thanks, Bear. I really appreciate it. Are you sure keeping me off the books isn't going to cause a problem for you?"

He chuckled. "I had an idea about that this morning. There's a little studio apartment up on the third floor I've been working on – actually there are several, but this one is about done. If you agree, you can live there as part of your wages. I'll keep track of your hours, subtract an agreed-upon amount for the rent, and pay you the rest in cash and put you in the books as temporary help or day labor."

"No ID or social-security numbers?"

"No. I'll put a name in the books, but it doesn't have to be a full name. Usually when I hire day labor I only get a first name or a nickname, so it's no problem."

"That sounds like it might work out pretty well," she agreed slowly.

"Call me when you've had time to get dressed and pack up your stuff and I'll come pick you up. You can look at the place and see if it'll work for you. If not, no problem, I can drive you back to the hotel and we can work something else out."

Steph glanced around. "Actually, I can be ready in about ten minutes but I'll need to go settle up in the office, so… could you pick me up in half an hour?"

Bear agreed and verified the hotel. Steph hung up and headed for the bathroom.

She brushed her teeth, wet her hair and combed it down, and put on a little makeup before she packed up her toiletries. She took some cash out of the brace to pay for the second night on her room, then put the brace and fanny pack on and got dressed. It took only a few more minutes to repack her suitcase and make sure she had everything, including the charger for her little phone.

Bear pulled up in a dusty blue Explorer just a couple of minutes after she'd stepped out of the office. He came around to her and looked down at the little wheeled suitcase with surprise.

"You weren't kidding, were you? This is all you've got?"

"There was a fire in my apartment building right before I left. I haven't needed much since then."

He just shook his head and put the case in the back seat, and then opened the door for her. She climbed in.

The Explorer was a few years old and well kept, but not spotless. It suited what little she'd seen of the man so far.

It didn't take long at all to drive back to the bar. Bear turned down an alley and parked in a small paved lot behind the building. There was room for several cars, the requisite dumpster, and a slot marked for deliveries that backed up to the raised concrete slab that served as back door step and dock. There was an awning over the door and the stairs leading up to it.

They went in through the back door. It led into the back room Stephanie had been shown last night. Bear put her suitcase by the office door.

"I'll show you the place first. If you like it I'll bring your case up, okay?"

Stephanie nodded, and Bear led the way to the stairs.

"This building is old and kind of odd. My great-grandfather built it and originally the first floor was a store. The second floor was designed to be the owner's home, and the third floor was rooms for rent. My grandfather converted it to a bar when he inherited it. He didn't keep up the third floor, though. I'm trying to restore as much of it as I can and still have it usable, but its slow going."

The stairs ended on the second floor. There was a small open room used as a paper-products storeroom and a hallway that led past a locked door. "This is my apartment," he said as he walked by the door and continued down the hall. It turned a corner, then another, and there was another open doorway that held a laundry room with two washers, two dryers, a sink, and a clothes rod for hanging clothes.

"Don't ask me why he built it this way, I haven't figured that out," he said as he continued along two more turns and came out at another open area and another stairwell. "This stairwell runs down to the street door, and all the way up to the third floor. It was originally the front entry but my grandfather changed this floor around some. Maybe I'll eventually get it restored, too. Anyway, the apartment is up here."

The third floor had a hall that divided the building in half with windows on each end and two doors on each wall. Bear led the way to the far end. The doors had old script-style numbers on them, and the door he opened said number three.

As apartments go, it really wasn't all that small, Steph thought. It was just open. She stepped inside. Bear stayed just inside the door and let her look around.

The ceiling was higher than modern rooms and looked like stamped tin. The floor was newly-refinished hardwood. To one side of the entry door was a kitchen area with all the necessities including a small stove and refrigerator. There were cabinets, some counter space, a two-basin sink, and a small table with two chairs.

In the bedroom area was a twin-size platform bed with dresser drawers beneath the mattress deck. The headboard and footboard both had built-in bookshelves that faced outward. The mattress looked new but there were no sheets or pillows.

Across from the bedroom area, just past the kitchen, was a doorway that led to two other doors. Both were open. Through one was a walk-in closet. Through the other was a nicely modern bathroom. There was a sink in a small vanity with a large mirror over it, a toilet, and a garden tub with a shower. There was an open cabinet above the toilet with towels stacked in it, and plenty of floor space. There were even new electrical outlets.

On the far end of the open room was a small sofa, a slightly-worn recliner, and a small TV on a stand.

Steph turned to Bear with a smile. "This is nice. I'll be comfortable here."

Bear smiled back. "Good, I was hoping it would work out. And before I forget, strictly speaking it isn't up to code yet with fire escapes," he moved to the window on the side wall near the sofa, "but as you can see, the roof of the next building is an easy jump and there's a ladder on the other end of their building."

She looked out, mentally measuring the distance, and decided it was enough to make it unlikely anyone would try to come _in_ that way, but getting down would be safe enough. The windows were old-fashioned but had inside locks. The screens hinged at the top and were secured with latch hooks. The window near the bed held a window air-conditioner unit, and the small window in the bathroom was too narrow to be a problem.

Bear was checking his watch. "I've got to make a run to get fruit. I know you don't have a car, and there isn't much around here close – would you like to go with me? I usually go to Wal-Mart a couple times a week. If you're short on money I'll advance you some, at least enough to get sheets and pillows."

"An advance isn't necessary, I've got some money. We can go now, if you want."

They took the weird route back to the back room and on out to the Explorer. The big discount store was on the south end of town, a good thirty blocks or more, and Stephanie was glad of the ride. Bear used the driving time to list off what was already in the apartment.

"There's a set of dishes and silverware, and a few pots and pans but nothing fancy. I put ice trays in the freezer. There are a few towels and I just put up a shower curtain. For cleaning, there's a broom and dustpan, and you can use towels and cleaners from the bar if you want."

"Bear," Stephanie broke in, "before I forget, do you have a dress code for working in the bar?"

"No, not really, just what you're comfortable in. I wouldn't recommend anything too low-cut or short skirts because the some of the guys can get unruly, especially on game nights."

Bear looked at his watch again as they walked into the store. "It's twelve-thirty. I can give you an hour and a half without pushing it. I've got your phone number, let me give you my cell number just in case."

She typed it into her phone and saved it. "If I get done sooner than two I'll call you, otherwise I'll meet you here at these doors. Okay?" she asked.

"Sounds good. I'm going to check out the new TVs before I get the fruit."

They parted ways. Bear headed to the electronics department in the back of the store. Steph got a cart and headed for the bedding isle, making a quick list in her head. Sheets, pillows, a lightweight blanket, and washcloths went into the cart. She visited the women's section and found a couple of pairs of lightweight black Capri pants, some inexpensive tank tops in several different color prints, and two more bras. In the toiletries section she selected shampoo and conditioner, body wash, and a bottle of scented lotion. Then she headed for the grocery section.

Milk, cheese, lunchmeat, salad dressing, cereal, bread, peanut butter, some chocolate chip cookies, and several cans of soup went into the cart. She found bagged ready-to-eat salads up front and caught up with Bear in the fruit section. He was getting limes, lemons, and bananas to add to the frozen strawberries in his cart. She just got bananas.

They got back to the building at one-thirty. Bear carried his perishables in to the walk-in cooler while Stephanie ran up with a load of bags. She put her milk, cheese, salad and lunchmeat in the fridge and opened the sheet set, taking a minute to put them in the washing machine on her way back down. Bear went back up with her, carrying her suitcase and a couple of bags, and she carried the pillows and the bag of new clothes. Then he left her a set of keys and went back downstairs.

Steph unpacked her suitcase. Her entire wardrobe of clothes fitted in two of the under-bed drawers, which was handy because she'd forgotten to get hangers for the closet. She made a peanut-butter sandwich and ate it, drinking milk out of a coffee cup because there were no glasses. She started two lists. One for things she wanted to buy, the other for things she might get from Bear -- things that would be fine to leave for the next tenant of the apartment, like glasses or a coffeemaker.

She ran down to put the sheets in the dryer, and stuck the new blanket in the other dryer with a fabric-softener sheet. Back upstairs, she took the tags off her new clothes and gathered up the plastic wrappers from the bedding and pillows, and discovered there was no trash can. She used one of the shopping bags and added that to her lists.

At two-thirty she retrieved the sheets and blanket and made the bed, in the process discovering an opening in the back of the platform into the space behind the drawers. She decided to leave the brace and fanny pack there for now since she still had some cash in her wallet.

She changed into a pair of the Capri pants and put on one of the tank tops and was downstairs in time to help Angel set down the chairs as Bear opened the doors.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger got off the treadmill and picked up the small towel on the bench, wiping his face with it before putting it around his neck and heading for the elevator. His breathing was no longer labored but his legs felt almost limp. He hoped he'd tired himself enough to sleep tonight but knew it probably wouldn't be enough. Tomorrow marked the thirty-day point. Thirty days since Stephanie ran from Trenton. The longest thirty days of his life – and that was saying something.

He'd hired three new men, and had cleared two more for hire if Tank felt the need. Gates, Caine, and DeMarco all seemed to be working out well, and the original crew was accepting them. Gates had been a huge hit with Hector especially once he'd discovered Gates was as much a gadget aficionado as he was.

Tank had done all he'd asked even though he was worried about Lula, so he'd told Tank to assign someone to Lula as a take-down partner whenever Tank couldn't go personally. Tank was visibly relieved and tried to treat it as a personal favor, but Ranger had told him it was for practical reasons. Lula was trying to cover Steph's regular skips, especially the harmless ones, as well as the other low-bond FTAs to keep them out of the hands of the new guy working for Vinnie. The guy was into violence, and just yesterday Ranger had discovered he'd put Dougie in the hospital. Steph would kill Harris when she got back – and go after Vinnie for hiring him. Ranger grinned just thinking about it. Maybe he should get Lula or Mary Lou to let Steph know. Maybe she'd come home sooner.

As for himself, he was about to go in the wind. Officially he was just going out of town, but it was no secret that he intended to find Steph and make sure she was okay. He didn't intend to reveal himself. He just needed to see with his own eyes that she was alive and well. Anonymous text messages just weren't cutting it anymore.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	15. Ch 15 Separation Anxiety

_**Disclaimer: Characters from the novels are property of JE and used without permission. The story and original characters belong to me.**_

_A/N: My muse insists I write on this and let __**DM**__ simmer a little longer. My apologies for making you wait – neither story is being very cooperative right now._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 15 – Separation Anxiety **_

Stephanie settled into life at the Babes bar. There were a few bumps that required her to make some adjustments during the first couple of weeks. The first was building up her legs -- the stairs exhausted her. Her lack of stamina was also a problem at first as the bar was so busy she was seldom idle more than fifteen minutes on the nights she worked. Fortunately her sturdy Hungarian genes helped with that, and it didn't take long for her to get in shape. Another bump was trying to convince Bear that he should keep more out for her rent since he also provided the utilities, cable TV, and laundry facilities. With all of that provided she didn't need much cash to live comfortably. He finally agreed to reduce her cash pay when she asked if he'd supply small appliances and other items that could be left for his next tenant instead.

Angel quickly became a friend. Shortly after Stephanie started working, Angel realized how little clothing she had and introduced her to the joys of thrift stores. Stephanie was able to find shorts and shirts and t-shirts, some never worn, for less than even clearance prices. She even found new tennis shoes and barely-worn sandals – and a single pair of t-strap pumps with four-inch heels. Evidently college girls in Kansas weren't inclined to dress up as much as girls from the 'Burg.

After three weeks, Stephanie was starting to feel like she belonged. Running up three flights of stairs no longer winded her, and she'd gotten used to juggling trays heavily laden with drinks and food. Bear had one of those home gym machines in a room near the laundry room, and he taught her how to use it. She found that strengthening the muscles in her shoulders, arms, and upper back helped – her back hurt less and she didn't get tired as fast.

Tonight she wasn't working. Tuesdays and Sundays were the slowest nights at the bar. Angel wanted Sundays off, so Stephanie took Tuesday. It didn't matter to her. She'd been going with Bear to Wal-Mart on Tuesdays to pick up her staple groceries while he got fruit for the bar. Sometimes she'd walk the few blocks to the small theater downtown and watch a movie. Usually she just watched TV.

She tried not to check in on the same day every week, or use a particular pattern to who she called, but tonight she decided to call home. She hadn't spoken to her mother in person since she left Trenton. The first time she'd called home her father had answered because it was salon day – it had been while she was on the road and lost track of days. The second time Grandma Mazur had answered and her mother was at the store.

It was just after seven in the evening. Dinner should be over. Stephanie had her apartment clean and her laundry done, and had fortified herself for tonight by buying a six-pack of flavored beer that Bear had gotten her started on. She had one, put the empty in the sink and the rest in the fridge. Then she climbed onto her bed, took a deep breath, and pressed the button to call the TWO phone - and home.

Her mother answered, sounding a little distracted.

"Hi, Mom. It's Stephanie." She braced herself mentally, waiting for the lecture to start.

"Oh, Stephanie, it's good to hear your voice! How are you?"

Steph was so surprised it took a moment for to speak. "I'm doing pretty good, Mom. How are things at home?"

Her mom chuckled. "Well, your leaving certainly stirred things up for a while. It is settling down a little now, I guess. I get a lot of calls from your friends, wanting to know if I've heard from you and when you're coming back. We've been telling them you're okay and you'll be back when you're ready."

This did _not_ sound like her mother. "Mom… I thought you'd be mad at me for leaving, for not telling you."

"Oh, baby," her mom sighed, and from the small noises in the background Stephanie knew she was settling into one of the kitchen chairs. "I was, at first. I was angry. And hurt. I guess it was all confused in my mind, and I was just so _**mad**_ that you wouldn't settle down, you kept doing all these crazy things and leaving Joe…not doing what I expected you to do, what I wanted for you."

"You don't sound mad now," Steph ventured.

"No. Your grandmother woke me up." Ellen paused and cleared her throat. "One afternoon not long after you left I was ranting and Mom shouted at me. She gave me a tongue-lashing up one side and down the other, until I wanted to crawl away and hide. She hadn't yelled at me like that in thirty-five years."

Steph listened intently, unable to speak. She heard what sounded suspiciously like a sniff and her mother continued. "After she finished berating me she got really quiet for a minute, and then said that she'd just given me a few minutes of what I'd been giving you for years."

"Mom—"

"Please, Steph, let me finish. She was right. I chose what I wanted to do with my life. When I was in high school I wanted to go to college and become a nurse. I begged my father to let me, and my mother supported me. But then I met your father and my plans for the future changed. More than anything else I wanted to marry him, make a home with him, have children. I did what _**I **_wanted, and I never regretted my choice. My mother didn't like it but she respected my decision. I owe you the same respect my mother gave me. I owe you a huge apology, baby. Can you ever forgive me?"

Tears ran down Stephanie's cheeks and her throat had closed up to the point she could barely speak. "Of course, Mom. I-I never wanted to disappoint you. I just can't be like you and Valerie."

"No, and I should never have pushed you to. You are your own person. You need to do what makes _you_ happy. And I'll try to do better from now on."

Steph sniffed and her mother, uncomfortable with the unaccustomed expression of emotion, changed the subject.

"Are you eating okay? Do you have enough money?" she asked, and Stephanie laughed.

"Yes, Mom! I have plenty of money for what I need, and I'm even learning to cook for myself sometimes. Tell me what's been going on at home. How are Dad and Grandma?"

"Your father is just the same. He's been driving the cab two days a week lately. Your Grandma got a mild case of food poisoning last week from a dinner at the senior center – I think about ten people got upset stomachs but none of it was too serious. Did anyone tell you Lula got her arm broken? I think it was two or three weeks ago now."

"What? What happened? Why didn't Mary Lou tell me when I called her?"

"I don't know if she knew. Joe's cousin Betty works at the emergency room at St. Francis, and she told Joe a few days after it happened. I guess things have been pretty busy there lately and she's had to work a lot of overtime. Anyway, Joe came by a few days ago to check in and make sure we were doing okay, see if you'd called… He said Betty told him one of Ranger's men had been in for stitches, and as he was leaving a black woman came in. The big black man – Tank? – stayed with her, and she had a broken arm. Joe said she'd gone after a skip, and he'd slammed his door on her arm."

"Is she going to be okay?"

"That's all I know, Steph. I'm sorry. When Joe was here he was pretty tired and heading home. I guess things have been rough at work for him, too."

What was going on in Trenton, Stephanie wondered. "How's Valerie doing? And the kids?"

Lisa had been getting ear infections a lot, she was told, and had to have tubes put in her ears, and Valerie had been a nervous wreck about it. But things had gone very well since.

They chatted a few minutes longer, then Stephanie said goodbye and hung up. She debated only a few minutes before calling THREE for Lula's cell. It rang four times before she picked it up.

"Lula?"

"Hey, Steph. How are you?"

Lula sounded strange – subdued. "I'm doing fine. I just talked to Mom and she said you've got a broken arm."

"Yeah. Damn Samuel Grimes done slammed his door on it, broke it pretty bad. I gotta wear this dang big-ass cast for at least three more weeks." She gave a half-hearted chuckle. "At least it's my left arm, so I can still use my tazer. Tank loaned me that guy with the skull tattoo on his head for the day an' I went back and got Grimes. I zapped him while he was busy staring, and then the big guy carried him downstairs for me."

"Good," she said softly, "I'm glad you got him. It always made me feel better to nab the skip after something like that."

A low chuckle vibrated over the line. "Yeah, no kiddin'. I heard your last skip spent three days in the hospital so you'd feel better."

"Hey, he deserved it. He's just lucky I didn't have brass knuckles or a knife with me."

Lula laughed and then sighed. "I don't know, Steph. A lot of weird shit always seemed to happen around you, but you always managed to catch your skips – you even bagged Morelli. I'm not doin' so good on my own."

"I had unfair advantage. I grew up in Trenton. I'm either related or went to school with half the population, so it wasn't hard for me to dig up information. Is anyone helping you?"

"Tank, when he can. And he says he can loan me a partner when I'm up ready. Right now my arm still hurts so I'm mostly just doin' files. Except for your regulars – they don't give me no trouble. They don't want Vinnie's new guy to get them."

"Vinnie hired someone?"

"Some guy named Harris, an' he's a big butt-wipe. He stunned Dougie on the escalator at the mall and he ended up in the hospital with a busted leg. I guess Morelli told Ranger about it at the station, 'cause Ranger came to the office and had a talk with Vinnie about what would happen if he didn't get Harris under control. Tank says Ranger was pissed, and Connie told me Vinnie had to go home and change his pants after Ranger left." She paused, then went on. "I guess Ranger was a little better after you called him, but Tank says he was still awful touchy."

"Was?" Steph had a bad feeling…

"He's in the wind, white girl, left a few days ago. He hired three new guys an' left Tank in charge. He didn't say where he was goin', but everybody knows he's lookin' for you."

"Does he know where I am?" she asked in a whisper, almost afraid to hear.

"I don't think so. Tank says he don't know where Ranger thought he was gonna look."

If he left three days ago…if he knew where she was, he would have arrived by now. Maybe she was still okay. She took a breath and made herself calm down. She needed to find out if Lula was _really_ okay.

"Lula, tell me the truth. Are you doing okay?"

"I'm okay. Tank says I'm a little depressed 'cuz I don't like bein' in a cast. And I miss you like crazy. It's just not as much fun doin' this job without you." She sighed, and Steph bit her lip, but Lula continued. "It won't be so bad, though, now that Tank can give me a RangeMan to help with takedowns. All I'll have to do is find the skip and call for help."

Steph gave a rueful laugh. "That sounds familiar – I did that a lot. Call for help, I mean. I called you or Ranger all the time."

They talked for a few more minutes and Steph was relieved that Lula was beginning to sound more herself before they said goodbye. She really hoped she'd be okay because Steph wasn't ready to go back to Trenton yet. Not even for Lula.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger growled with frustration as he climbed back into the rented SUV. He'd checked all Steph's favorite places in and around Point Pleasant, and had gone through all her relatives and college friends. No one had seen her, no one had heard from her. All they knew was what they'd recently read in the papers about her car and apartment getting firebombed.

He headed the vehicle toward his hotel and tried to think like Stephanie… He gave up with a half-laugh a few minutes later. There was only one Stephanie Plum, and he doubted even if the FBI's best profilers could predict her actions and reactions. God knows she always took him by surprise.

It was thirty miles to the hotel so he used the time to check in with Tank.

"Hey, RangeMan, having any luck?" Tank answered.

"I know lots of places where she isn't," he growled. "Anything new?"

"She called Lula last night around eight. I guess she called her mom before that and found out about Lula's arm. According to Lula, Steph sounded worried about her but otherwise fine. She seems to be doing pretty good. Not on busses anymore, she's staying in one place, but that's about all she would say."

Ranger made a noise, but didn't say anything. Tank waited a moment then spoke again, changing the subject.

"I know it's not on the top of your list right now, but the Wainwright account in Miami needs your attention. There have been some problems getting their security set to cover efficiently, and they've asked for your help."

He heard Ranger's sigh. "Okay. Get me an early-morning flight from…" he paused to think where the nearest airport was, "Chicago-O'Hare. I'll go take care of it." And while he was down there maybe he'd pump Silvio for more ideas.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	16. Ch 16 Weathering Storms

_**Disclaimer: Characters from the books are property of JE and used without permission. New characters, and the plot (such as it is!) are mine.**_

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait! The place I worked closed and I was kind of depressed for a while until I found another job. It isn't great, and it kills my legs, but oh well! At least my muse is speaking to me again…_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Sixteen – Weathering Storms**_

Summer wore on, and Stephanie decided that anyone who chose to live in Kansas voluntarily was nuts. There was a period of dry weather that lasted so long the grass started turning brown. Cracks big enough to swallow a shoe appeared in the ground. The sun was hot enough to fry, and when shining into windows, kept buildings overheated even with air conditioners laboring away constantly. There was no protective layer of smog here, either – the damned wind saw to that. It was _always_ windy. The only time she felt the air go still was the afternoon before the most frightening thunderstorm she'd ever seen -- and of course it had happened on her night off. She'd been alone in her apartment, feeling high and exposed as the lightning seemed to stab straight down from the clouds, and thunder literally rattled the windows. Hell, the whole building vibrated with it!

And then the tornado sirens had gone off. She didn't even remember going down the stairs.

The bar was mostly empty. Bear and Angel were standing at the back door, looking out toward the southwest, and the radio was on the local station. Outside it started to pour, the rain coming down so hard and fast that the parking lot was over an inch deep even though there was a storm drain at the corner.

Steph didn't think anyone could have heard her coming over the wailing of the sirens, but Bear turned and looked right at her when she stepped off the stairs. He gave her a reassuring smile and motioned for her to come to him. When she reached his side he put his arm around her, patting her shoulder reassuringly.

"You look a little spooked, Jersey," he smiled. "Don't worry, the tornado that's been sighted is quite a ways from here – down on the south edge of town."

That should have been reassuring… but then it started to hail. Pea-sized at first, it was noisy and startling, bringing a wave of cold air in the open door. Then the hailstones started getting bigger and Bear swore under his breath. Chunks of ice were hitting the pavement now, most of them nickel to quarter-sized, but there were a few bigger chunks. One the size of a tennis ball bounced off the back bumper of Bears SUV and set the alarm off. And the wind gusted, carrying hail onto the back steps and bouncing it in through the open door.

Stephanie jumped back and Angel quickly stepped to the side, behind the protection of the wall. Bear fought the wind to get the door shut. As he did, the sirens fell silent. Steph thought that ought to have helped, but instead it just made the sound of the hailstorm that much more prominent.

Angel had her head cocked, listening to the radio announcer. "Bear, there's another sighting. It's closer."

Bear turned to a storage shelf and handed Angel and Stephanie both flashlights. "Go ahead and take Jersey down to the basement. I'll lock the front and be right down."

Stephanie followed Angel down the wide well-lighted stairs to the unfinished basement. Although there were cracks in the concrete walls and floor it was solid and dry, for now at least. Angel led the way to where several old chairs were sitting around a table with a badly repaired leg, and she pulled out a chair.

"You might as well have a seat. These storms usually pass fairly quickly, but we may be down here a half-hour or more."

Bear came down just a couple of minutes later, carrying another flashlight, the portable radio, and three cold bottles of beer. He gave each of them a bottle, set the radio on the table, and sank into a chair with a groan.

"Damned hail," he muttered. "I should have bought that damn carport this spring instead of waiting."

"At least my car already had hail dents," Angel added philosophically. "I don't think it can hurt it much more."

They sat sipping beer and listening to the radio. The power flickered and went out a few minutes later but only Stephanie jumped. They waited, listening to the reports, until the all-clear was called for their area, and then Bear turned his flashlight on and led the way back upstairs.

He opened the back door as soon as he reached it. Stephanie followed close behind him and was surprised how chilly the air was. Hail was piled in drifts against wheels and posts and nearly covered the bottom of the outside steps. Bear's SUV looked okay in the dark – at least no windows were broken.

"I need to check the windows upstairs and make sure nothing broke," he said after a moment. "You two want to check the third floor? The other doors are unlocked."

Angel grabbed a couple of trash bags and some tape, just in case, and she and Steph started up the stairs. Steph checked her apartment first, leaving the door open for Angel. There was a puddle of water beneath the south window but nothing appeared to be broken.

Steph grabbed a towel to mop it up. Angel caught her confused frown.

"Wind-driven rain," she explained. "It comes through even tiny cracks when there's a lot of force behind it, especially on these older windows."

They took a couple of towels along as they checked the other apartments. All the south-facing windows had puddles, some larger than others, and one whose screen was missing had a cracked glass pane. Angel taped the crack while Steph mopped up the water, but that was the only damage visible on the third floor.

Back downstairs they met up with Bear in the back room. His floor seemed to be damage-free, too, except for the small puddles of rainwater. Outside the rain stopped and the clouds were thinning, letting the half-moon peek through. It was still fairly early, hours before they usually closed.

Out front Bear pulled a box of long-burning candles out from under the bar. Angel started lighting them and Steph started distributing them on the tables. Bear unlocked the front door and propped it open, letting the cool breeze wash in. He also produced several old-fashioned glass oil lamps for the bar. It wasn't long before the phone rang. It was the couple that lived over a store down the street.

"Sure, we'll still be open. Bring your guitars, and I'll buy your drinks," Bear said.

It wasn't long before the bar was more than half full. The bar, with all the lamps and candles, wasn't much darker than normal. The acoustic guitars the neighbor couple played weren't as loud, and the customers maybe were a bit more subdued, too, but otherwise it was fairly normal. Bear even had a gas two-burner hotplate going, so there were burgers and grilled sandwiches, although he substituted chips for fries. He made coffee in an ancient-looking stove-top pot and kept it warm on a low burner. He gave free coffee and cold wrapped sandwiches to any cop in uniform that stopped in. Evidently this was a long-held tradition, because there were a lot of them over the next few hours. Bear kept the supply ready.

When closing time came the lights still weren't back on. Bear told them not to worry about cleaning, it could wait until morning. If the power was still off then at least the windows would provide enough light to clean by.

Stephanie borrowed a candle and a flashlight when she went up to her apartment. She set the lighted candle on the bathroom counter while she took a quick shower, and then sat it in the tub where the light reflected off the white tile.

When she dressed for bed she pulled on a pair of boxers and Ranger's black t-shirt, needing its familiar comfort tonight more than ever. It helped some but it wasn't what she really craved. She missed his warmth, his scent, and the feel of his strong body wrapped around her. She wanted to hear his voice husky with sleep and passion.

The events of the night had shaken her and made her want to run to someone for comfort and protection -- the same thing she'd done her entire life. "Time to grow up, Stephanie Plum," she told herself firmly as she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over her head. "Learn to stand on your own two feet."

So even if she did cry herself to sleep hugging a pillow, it was one more thing she handled on her own.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger arrived at the Miami airport well before sunrise to get through the special check-in required for his weapons before his early-morning flight back to Trenton. He hadn't slept in 24 hours and his eyes felt like they'd been rolled in sand. He was very unhappy with Mathis and his handling of the Wainwright account, and angry at himself for letting things in Miami slide for so long.

His temper must have been apparent because he saw several men give him a wide berth and an airport security man was watching him warily. He tried to shake it off. He was on his way back to Trenton, and could find out if there was anything new from Stephanie. It had taken so much time to straighten out the accounts during the past three weeks that he hadn't even had a chance to seek out Silvio.

Someday soon he was going to have to spend some time in Miami and get the office working smoothly again. He should probably do the same in Boston and Atlanta and make sure the men he'd left in charge were actually doing what they were reporting. If he was going to keep his business empire working he needed to stop neglecting parts of it. Maybe once Stephanie came back she'd like to travel with him. She could sleep late, shop in the afternoons, and he could show her the cities in the evenings… But first she had to come out of hiding.

Thinking of traveling with Steph, an unconscious smile curved his lips as he neared the security office. Two female flight attendants walking towards him got their rolling cases tangled and one popped open, spilling red lace out onto the walkway right in his path. He stepped over it and shot the young woman a grin without slowing, and didn't notice when she blushed to match the lace.

Once his paperwork was done he called the control room with his arrival time and gate, then dozed in a seat until his flight was called.

Tank was waiting at the curb when Ranger walked out of the Newark terminal. The sun was glaring, making his eyes hurt, and if anything it was hotter here than it had been in Miami.

"You look like shit, boss," Tank said.

"Fuck you too," Ranger replied conversationally, and Tank chuckled.

"Things in Miami must have been worse than expected for you to look like that."

"Miami's a mess. Not just the Wainwright account – several of the new accounts hadn't been adequately mapped. Mathis is a good worker but he doesn't seem to have the eye for planning."

"Did you get them straightened out?" Tank asked.

"Yes." Ranger sighed and Tank shot him a look, frowning when he saw Ranger was sitting with his head back and his eyes closed. "But there are three new accounts in the early planning stages and I didn't have time to find who might be better at mapping security than Mathis."

Tank thought for a moment and shot another look toward the passenger seat. "I could go down for a week or so, do some of the training exercises we developed and see if anyone shows promise."

"That might work," Ranger said softly. "Maybe, if there's more than one, let each one plan one of the accounts and see who does the most efficient job."

"Even better," Tank agreed.

Ranger opened his eyes suddenly and his lips quirked. "When does Lula's cast come off?"

"This afternoon. Why?"

"If you want, take her with you to Miami. Swimming is good to strengthen bones, and you can spend some time with her on the beach and showing her the sights. You don't need to work full days there, just spend a little time feeling things out. It might even be better if they didn't know when you'd be coming in."

"Kind of a working vacation… I'd like that – and I think Lula would, too."

"You can use my apartment instead of staying at the RangeMan building if you think she'd prefer it. I don't think the office would know what to make of Lula."

Tank looked and Ranger was smiling at the thought. He tried to picture it himself and chuckled. "Thanks, man, I'll owe you."

Ranger pulled a key from his pocket and dropped it in the console tray. "No you don't. You've worked as hard to build this company as I have – you should enjoy it, too." He paused, then continued softly, "If Lula makes you happy, _compadre_, don't let her get away."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	17. Ch 17 The Trail

_**Disclaimer: Characters from the books are property of JE and used without permission. The plot and original characters are mine.**_

_A/N: If you're waiting for updates on Divine Madness, I apologize. It's hard for me to go back and forth so I decided to finish this one first, since its closer to being completed, before I return to DM. I hope you don't mind!_

_Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, especially to those who sent messages worrying about me while I was 'absent'. Thank you, I __**really**__ appreciated it!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Seventeen – The Trail**_

Tank dropped Ranger off in the garage then left to take Lula to get her cast off. Ranger was too tired to even want to check in with the control room. He headed straight up to seven to get some sleep. Everything else could wait.

After a quick shower to wash away the travel grime, he stretched and crawled into bed, going right to sleep. He woke after only a few hours thinking about Stephanie…and couldn't go back to sleep. Where was she? She still sent him those damned anonymous text messages to let him know she was okay and occasionally a tidbit of other information, but it wasn't nearly the same as seeing her and talking to her. He missed her smile and her sapphire eyes and her quick Jersey-girl temper.

The cop hadn't let any grass grow under his feet, he reflected sourly. Morelli had started dating a clerk from St. Francis three weeks after Stephanie left, and had recently traded up to a nurse. He still seemed to care about Steph, enough to ask if there was anything new and pass on anything he heard or found, but it still rankled. Ranger growled at himself and threw off the sheet. He should be _glad_ Morelli was over Steph, he told himself. It was one less thing to pull Stephanie away from him.

He wasn't going back to sleep now, obviously, and it was only seven-thirty. He got dressed and dialed Tank to see how Lula's appointment went, and if he'd asked her about Miami.

"Yo, boss," Tank answered cheerfully.

Ranger smiled in spite of his earlier dark mood. "Stop with the 'boss' shit. How did Lula's appointment go?"

"She's out of the cast and ranting about her arm looking weird," Tank reported, and Ranger could hear Lula's protest in the background.

"Did you ask her about Miami yet?" Ranger asked.

"Not yet. We went to eat after her appointment, and just got back to her place."

"Ask her now."

There was a pause as Tank digested Ranger's odd request, but then he realized Ranger wanted to hear Lula's reaction. He chuckled softly before asking in a louder voice, "Lula, baby, I need to go to Miami for a few weeks. Would you like to go with me?"

Ranger heard her squeal loud and clear, but then she said something the phone didn't quite pick up. Tank's answer made it clear, though.

"Well, there are apartments at the RangeMan building there, too – or if you'd rather stay at the beach, Ranger gave me the keys to his apartment.

She shrieked loud enough to make Ranger's ear ring, and he barely heard Tank's low laugh.

"I think that means she'd like to stay at your apartment, Range-man. When do I need to be there?"

Ranger was chuckling. "Anytime in the next two weeks will be okay, the new accounts are still in the early phases. I'll leave it up to you, just let me know."

"At the rate she's going through her closet it probably won't be more than a day or two," Tank confided. "I'm not sure, but I think she's already starting to pack."

"Have some fun while you're there," Ranger said, and hung up.

There was nothing fresh to eat in the apartment kitchen so Ranger headed down to five instead of bothering Ella. Lester and Hector were in the control room, idly shooting the shit in Spanish as they watched the monitors. Hector called out a greeting as soon as Ranger stepped off the elevator on camera. Lester waited until he was actually in sight and gave him a slightly more reserved welcome.

As expected, there were sandwiches and bottled water in the break room, and Ranger took one of each to his office to see what paperwork might be waiting. In the center of his desk lay a single unmarked file folder.

Frowning at the lack of label, Ranger sat down and flipped it open. At first he wasn't sure what he was looking at – it wasn't a client file or proposal as he'd expected. It wasn't until he read the small headers that it clicked that it was a monthly report sent from the local Greyhound bus terminal to the main office. Near the end of the report a line was highlighted – the date and time matching Stephanie's purchase of the 30-day pass…and the pass had a number.

Evidently the pass had to be shown and scanned each time it was used to obtain a new boarding pass. The following pages were similar reports from other terminals listing each time the pass was used, marking the date and location where Steph had changed busses.

Finally! Someone had found a way to track her!

Also included in the file was a sheaf of hotel registration forms, all from inexpensive hotels and all marked as paid by cash in advance. The names listed on the forms made Ranger laugh out loud. Among them was Lucy Ricardo, Norma Jean Mortensen (Marilyn Monroe's real name), Frances Lawrence (aka Gidget), Janis Joplin, and Marion Morrison (John Wayne's birth name).

For a moment he wondered who had disregarded his stop-search order to find this information, but then he realized it didn't matter. _All_ his men missed her. To find this much information, as cagey as Steph had been, there had to have been several working on it together.

He opened his computer e-mail and sent a message to Tank. _Please remind all employees that orders are not to be disregarded - but in this one particular case I appreciate all their help. Thanks._

As soon as he hit send he turned back to the file, finding a printed map near the back with the zig-zag bus routes she'd taken traced in neon orange. He groaned to himself when he saw she'd changed busses in Champaign, Illinois – he'd been less than a hundred miles from there when he'd been checking out her college friend near Chicago.

The last ticket recorded was marked with a small 'x' over St. Louis. From there the bus route was marked with yellow dots along I-70….across Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado. There was no way to tell where she'd gotten off.

He sighed and sat back, rubbing his eyes. Well, at least he had a better idea where to start looking now. He'd drive the bus route and stop at each station if he had to, show her pictures around and hope someone had noticed her. The length of time that had passed was pushing it, but there was something about Steph that drew men's eyes even without her trying… maybe he'd get lucky.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Business at the bar was increasing as the trickle of returning college students and faculty become a flood. Steph got a lot of practice spotting fake IDs, and she lived up to her nickname when anyone tried to get too familiar. That had both good _and_ bad consequences as word got around and it became a popular dare to try your luck with the Jersey Devil at Bear's Babes Bar.

Bear worried about it when he first overheard someone daring a friend. He kept a close eye on Jersey and wasn't too surprised when she managed to handle even the rowdy ones with ease. It was hard not to laugh out loud sometimes. Once she caught a guy just above the ear with her tray 'accidentally' when he tried to grab her ass. Another time an older guy slid his hand up her thigh from behind – and got an elbow right between the eyes that nearly knocked him out. She always acted surprised and apologized, but it never fooled anyone. _Don't mess with the Devil_ came through loud and clear.

As business picked up, Bear added part-time help in the form of legal-age college students. This not only helped on busy nights, but it also gave Angel, Jersey, and himself a little extra time off. A graduate student named Jerome who tended to quote philosophers became Owl. A pretty auburn-haired girl named Jessica who was quick but easily startled became Rabbit, as in Jessica Rabbit. Jason became Doc because he was going for his PhD in Psychology. Owl flirted lightheartedly with both Angel and Jersey – and most other females – and was well liked. Doc was a good worker and in general a likeable guy, but the mystery surrounding Stephanie drove him crazy and he was constantly trying to figure her out. True to form, Steph took him in stride. When he asked her nosy questions she just gave him crazy answers until he finally got the hint.

With the little bit of extra free time now available, Bear did something he'd wanted to do ever since Stephanie's interview – he Googled 'Stephanie Plum New Jersey'. The resultant hits both shocked him and made him laugh out loud. She really was a bounty hunter! No wonder she had no problem handling tipsy college boys.

He read through numerous newspaper articles and websites covering her destroyed cars, various firebombings and explosions, vandalism and fires at her apartment, kidnapping attempts, assaults, her near-execution at the hands of a gang, and her discovery of a disconcerting number of corpses – not to mention she'd killed two men in self-defense. It was no surprise the woman needed a break!

The accompanying photographs, when available, were interesting, too. Her hair was long in most of them, and although she looked a little shaken in some she'd never seemed to freak out. In several she was bandaged or being loaded into an ambulance. And several other faces always seemed to be around.

There were two uniformed cops in several of the pictures whose expressions of concern or grins led him to believe they were her friends. An Italian-looking plain-clothes cop was in nearly all the pictures looking grim or angry or resigned, and a dark man in black that looked vaguely military was caught in a few although his face was never to the camera. Bear wondered if these were the two men she was hiding from.

His newfound knowledge made him watch her with new eyes. The pixie-cut hair when she'd first arrived had misled him about her age, and he still didn't think she looked anywhere near thirty-three. Her hair had grown out into more of a shag, and when she was at work she dressed to be the Jersey Devil. She looked vaguely Gothic because of her pale skin, and she played it up with dark eye makeup, dark red lipstick, and dark clothes.

If her customers were being friendly or lightly flirtatious, her eyes sparkled and she smiled. If they were being obnoxious the smile didn't change, but her eyes went cold. The ones that got out of hand were treated to flat eyes and an icy smile right before they felt her wrath. She never spilled a drink. But he watched her use elbows, tray, and heels to good effect, and that air of mysterious reserve was always there.

He wondered how much longer before one of her men showed up. No man in his right mind would let Stephanie get away for long.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	18. Ch 18 On The Hunt

_**Disclaimer: Only the story and the new characters that have wandered in are mine. Everything else belongs to JE and used without permission.**_

_A/N: Getting closer!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter Eighteen – On The Hunt**_

Tank and Lula flew to Miami three days later. No one admitted to having done any of the research to find Stephanie, but Ranger was fairly certain Lester and Silvio had been ringleaders. It was simple, really. Silvio had avoided him the entire three weeks he'd been in Miami, and Lester had been playing things far too straight since his return. Usually in the safe haven of the office out of the public eye, Lester was joking around, playing pranks, or being a clown at least once a day. Not lately.

Ranger didn't push it. He let it be known he was going to act on the information left for him and the mood in the building lifted quite a bit. He even took a couple of photos of Stephanie to Hector and had him work his computer magic to give her short hair.

He paid Atlanta and Boston quick surprise visits and found both offices running smoothly, which was a relief. Lester and Bobby could handle nearly anything that came up between them and with three new men they shouldn't be shorthanded, so he didn't feel bad about leaving again for a while.

As much as he'd like to bring Stephanie back with him, he only planned to find her and watch from a distance to make sure she was okay. He even said as much to his men. He wasn't sure how Steph might interpret an actual visit. She might be pissed he'd continued to look for her. Technically, he'd never said _he_ would stop looking, just that he'd call his men off the search…but he hoped the subject wouldn't come up.

Since he would be carrying surveillance gear, he chartered a small plane to St. Louis and would drive from there. It would save the security hassle of getting the gear and weapons on a regular flight.

By the time all the arrangements were made it was the first of October, and Stephanie had been gone for nearly four months. The weather had already started to cool in Trenton when he boarded the plane. It took him half the flight to identify the twitchy feeling in his stomach.

For the first time in years, he was nervous.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Bear brought up the subject of Halloween when Steph came downstairs early on Wednesday, the first day of October.

"I've always decorated the bar for Halloween. It's supposed to be a holiday for kids now, I know, but I enjoy it. I try to get everyone to dress up. We have prizes for the really good, creative, or original costumes people wear in, and smaller stuff to give everyone in costume.. We have drink specials and food specials, and it's usually a big party in here all night long. Since it falls on Friday night this year it may be especially busy."

As he had hoped, Steph enthusiastically volunteered to help. "I love Halloween! Have you ever made slime punch? Or witches' brew? What foods do you make?"

Bear laughed, got Cokes for them both and a notebook and pen, and they sat down at a table. He drew a diagram of the bar and marked where he put the larger decorations – the full skeleton from an old medical school, a real iron cauldron, and some of the new foam pumpkins that he had carved into detailed Jack-O-Lanterns. He'd already bought an entire case of flickering battery-powered candles to light them with, and larger ones for the tables.

"I've never heard of slime punch or witches' brew," he admitted. "I just use the holiday drinks from the bartender's guide. What are these?"

Steph explained with a smile. "They're non-alcoholic, but something could easily be added, and mostly I think my grandmother made them up. Slime is orange juice and a flavor of Kool-Aid that makes that makes a drink the exact weird green color of pond scum. It tastes great but some people won't even try it, it looks so icky. The witches brew is similar, just made with the kind of apple cider that's cloudy and a different flavor of Kool-Aid that makes it a sickly orangey brown color. Crumble up dried mint leaves in it, and use frozen peeled white grapes instead of ice cubes."

Bear was starting to grin. The drinks sounded appropriately gross so far. Stephanie's grandmother must be very cool.

"Oh, and of course you have to have blood for the vampires," Steph continued.

"Red juice?" he ventured.

"Oh, no, it has to look real! Thick and sticky and everything!"

"How do you manage that? And what does it taste like?"

"Use peach nectar and black cherry Jell-O, with a little blue-raspberry Kool-Aid to get the color right. It works best if you make it a day in advance so the peach nectar mixes in and takes up the color, and it needs to be served cold so it stays thick."

Bear was laughing out loud. "You have to make this stuff for me soon, like tomorrow, so I can try it out. It sounds great."

"And if you _really_ want to be cool," Steph said with an evil grin, "put the brew in the cauldron with dry ice trapped beneath a very fine screen, or in weighted cheesecloth. The dry ice makes the brew bubble and gives off fog but won't hurt anything, and it keeps it cold. You could even put some of your flicker lights under the cauldron to make it look like a flame."

"Are you going to come as the Jersey Devil?" he asked.

Stephanie laughed. "Well, maybe my own version of it. The real Jersey Devil is supposed to be a female Bigfoot-like creature that attacks men. I don't look so good hairy. What will your costume be?"

Bear leaned back in his chair, smiling to himself that Steph didn't automatically assume he'd dress in Native costume. "I have different ones. Sometimes I'm a vampire or Frankenstein's monster – I look good in green! And sometimes I dress Native. Actually, there are a lot of us around here and some of them usually come dressed in elaborate Pow-wow costumes, so you'll get to see at least one." He changed the subject, leaning forward again. "So, what did your grandmother do for Halloween food? I'm always up for new ideas."

By the time Angel arrived they were both eager to try out the new drinks and food specials on someone, so they decided to have everyone come in a little early next Monday afternoon for a taste-test. Bear gave Stephanie Sunday off, and promised to take her to the store Friday and Saturday to get the necessary ingredients.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger was finding it slow going, stopping at each bus station and spending time showing Stephanie's pictures to employees, street people, and in nearby businesses like internet cafes, convenience stores, grocery stores – anything within reasonable walking distance from the station where Stephanie might have gone. A bus driver in Columbia, Missouri remembered her face, but couldn't recall her getting off the bus during his part of the route.

Driving across Missouri from St. Louis to Kansas City at normal highway speeds was estimated to take about six hours. It took Ranger twelve excruciating days.

As an Army Ranger his patience had been legendary. Now he had a hard time holding onto it. Only his determination not to miss any possible clue kept him going at the snail's pace the hunt required.

Every few days he called back to Trenton to check in and find out what was going on there. Tank and Lula were back after three weeks in Miami, and Tank was happy to say Lula was no longer depressed. They were looking for an apartment to share.

Joe Morelli had stopped seeing the nurse. Rumor had it he was now dating a woman who wrote cookbooks for a living and worked from home. She seemed to be ideal for Joe. Ranger privately doubted it would last. After Stephanie, a woman like that would probably grow dull very quickly.

His patience was finally rewarded when he walked into the Sixth Street bus station in Lawrence, Kansas, and found a wrinkled old black janitor that took one look at the picture and smiled ear to ear.

"Oh, she's a devil, that one is. You'd best be careful of her. If she don't get you, the big bear will."

It sounded a lot like the raving of a senile old man until Ranger heard two young men on the street talking about seeing the devil at a Halloween party. But it all started coming together when he headed into a nearby convenience store and saw a flyer posted in the window.

**HALLOWEEN PARTY**

**BEAR'S BABES BAR AND GRILL**

**FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS**

**COME IN COSTUME AND WIN A PRIZE!**

A smile spread slowly across his face.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	19. Ch 19 Recon

_**A/N: I'm hurrying! Ranger won't be rushed!**_

_Disclaimer: Characters from the books are the property of JE and are used without permission. The story and the other strange people that have wandered in are mine._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 19 – Recon**_

What were the chances? Ranger thought. How possible was it that his Babe traveled halfway across America and ended up in a bar called Babes?

His first instinct was to find the bar and find Stephanie immediately. It took a lot of willpower to hold himself back, more than he was comfortable admitting even to himself. But he knew it would be better to wait. A little old-fashioned recon was a better idea – he could find the place, check out the layout, maybe see Steph coming or going and find out where she was living. He was no longer sure he'd be able to walk away without revealing himself. He craved her scent, her touch… But if all possible he intended to stick to his plan.

First things first. He needed to find out where the bar was so he didn't get too close accidentally before he was ready. Passing Steph on the street would certainly blow his clandestine plan out of the water. So he retreated to his rented SUV and typed it into the built-in GPS. The bar was on this very street less than ten blocks away.

He turned the SUV in the opposite direction and found a hotel. After all this time searching he found he still needed to think. And he could certainly use some sleep.

He checked into a room, took a shower and laid on the bed for a nap. For the first time in months he went right to sleep.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

The Monday-night taste-test had been a big success. It had taken a lot of persuasion to get Doc and Rabbit to even taste the drinks, especially the 'blood' that Steph had mixed and put into a plastic zipper bag to chill. Owl was more open. He tried the slime first, a little timidly, but his eyebrows had gone up and he'd made a surprised face.

"Hey, that's really good! What is this?"

Neither Stephanie nor Bear would tell. They'd agreed it would be a lot more fun to keep the ingredients a secret. Angel tasted it then and had much the same reaction.

Next they tasted the witches' brew, complete with bits of dried mint leaf, cloves, and peeled frozen grapes floating in the brackish-looking liquid. Owl pretended to choke and be dying of poison; Angel just grinned and shook her head.

The 'blood' Steph served in a tall test-tube-like glass, and she cut a corner off the bag to pour it. It slid out of the bag and into the glass thickly, making Rabbit and Doc and even Bear shudder.

Owl picked up the glass and sniffed it suspiciously, tilting it sideways and watching the thick liquid ooze back into the bottom, clinging to the glass like real blood. When he finally took a sip he laughed out loud.

"What the hell is this? This is sick! Man, I hope you can make a lot of this!"

"It's good!" Angel exclaimed in surprise.

Rabbit and Doc finally tried the drinks, too, since they didn't kill Owl or Angel. They all laughingly admitted they tasted a hell of a lot better than they looked. Then Bear brought out the sandwiches and they all cracked up again.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Steph smiled at the memory of their reactions as she climbed up and down a stepladder, stringing cobwebs in the front window of the bar. Halloween was only eight days away and they'd decided to put up the decorations for this weekend. Bear had already rearranged the tables to make room for the cauldron and stand, although it stood empty for now. The smallest table was pushed up in the corner of the window and the skeleton was sitting at it, elbow on the table and his hand wrapped around an empty glass. The other bony elbow was hooked over the back of the chair in the sprawled pose common among young men, as if he was waiting for someone. Brown and orange artificial leaves looked as if they'd piled up around his feet.

Carved foam pumpkins were piled here and there waiting for their lights, with more leaves tucked around them. Angel and Owl were working on the specials menu boards.

Rabbit had jumped at the chance to dress up like a witch and serve brew from the cauldron. The ingredients for the drinks were safely hidden away in Bear's apartment kitchen, and the special foods had been ordered. Bear had strung some tiny lights here and there and the battery candles were ready under the bar. Stephanie, with some help from Doc, was just putting the finishing touches on, getting the web strung just right with a few artistically dangling spiders…

"What are you doing?" Doc's voice interrupted Steph's thoughts and she realized she was looking out the window again. "That's the fourth time you've gone off in your own little world looking out the window. Are you okay?"

Steph shot another look outside, only now aware of the faint prickle of awareness she'd been feeling. "I'm okay. Just had a funny feeling."

"Well, wait until you're on the floor, okay? I'm not great with falling objects."

Steph grinned down at him, ignoring the annoying feeling. "Gee, Doc, you do care!"

"I just don't want you falling on me," he grumbled, but Steph continued to grin. It had taken a while but she was on good terms with the future psychiatrist now. He'd gone through the overly-nosy period, then he'd been aloof, and now he was a friend and she was glad. The other stages had been annoying. "Besides," he continued, "you can't get hurt before the party. I think half the town will be here just to see what the Devil is wearing for Halloween."

She laughed. "You'll see. Surprises are more fun. Besides, how did I go from being Jersey to being the Devil?" Doc looked up and opened his mouth and she rushed to say, "Don't answer that!"

Doc grinned and held the ladder as she climbed down once again. "Has Bear decided which costume he's going to use?" he asked.

"He said something about a tomahawk yesterday but this morning he came in with green makeup, so who knows? How about you?"

"Owl called dibs on being a Vampire, and Rabbit is going to be a witch. Angel came in with wings, so she's either going to be a fairy or go with her name and be an angel…. Which could be totally cool if you dress up like a devil."

"The Jersey Devil looks like Bigfoot," was her answer to his unasked question, smiling. "And I still say you should dress up like Freud."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Across the street and down a couple of buildings, Ranger watched from the roof of a four-story building. The high-tech camera he had focused on the bar window was tiny but powerful, enough that he could actually catch part of Steph's conversation with the college kid by reading their lips. The first time she'd turned and looked in his direction he'd actually ducked, making him laugh at himself. He was seriously loosing it. Good thing that last government job _was_ the last.

This angle wasn't the best, he couldn't see very far into the bar, but at least he'd confirmed Stephanie's presence. Sometime tonight he'd see if he could plant the camera in a better spot, and maybe get something rigged for sound. He wanted to hear her voice.

Who was he kidding? He was lying here hard as a rock and wishing she was in his arms. He wanted a hell of a lot more than just to hear her voice. He should already be on his way back to Trenton now that he'd seen for himself that she was okay. That's what he had planned to do. Instead, he knew he was going to ghost around and watch her until at least Halloween. Hadn't she told him more than once it was her favorite holiday? She seemed to have made some good new friends and he couldn't deny the pinch of jealousy he'd felt when he'd seen the big Indian hug her.

Stephanie had changed a little outwardly. He'd only seen her hair short the one time and even then she'd never worn it so casually. And her style was now…Goth casual, maybe -- he had no idea if it had an actual name. Pale skin, dramatic eyes and mouth, dark and black colored clothing. It was different but it looked good on her. She looked thinner, too, as if she'd lost some weight. Not too surprising if she was waiting tables. It was hard work.

He remained on the roof lying prone with the camera for several more hours, until the bar was busy and full darkness had fallen. Then he picked up his equipment and worked his way across the roofs to the building across from the bar. If anyone had bothered to look, they might have seen him silhouetted against the night sky like Batman.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Steph worked steadily, greeting now-familiar regular customers with a smile and moving easily among the tables with a laden tray. But her skin still prickled along the back of her neck now and then, and it was making her jumpy. She kept looking behind her and looking around, even going so far as to look out the window. Nothing was there. Or more to the point, no_body._

Bear noticed and wondered what had her jumpy. He started keeping a closer eye out but he didn't spot anything.

Customers were excited about the upcoming Halloween party and there were plenty of conversations going on about costumes. Steph lost count of how many people asked her what she was dressing up as. Her standard answer was "You'll just have to come Friday and see, won't you?"

Bear had to chase out stragglers at closing time. As usual, Steph, Angel, and Doc made quick work of closing and cleaning, bantering back and forth about costumes. It seemed like he wasn't the only one keeping his choice of character a secret.

Doc walked Angel out to her car when he left, and Steph and Bear headed upstairs – Bear to his apartment, and Steph up the last flight to hers. The odd feeling of being watched was still spooking her, though, and she closed the blinds on her windows before turning on any lights.

Across the street, a very tense Ranger breathed a sigh of relief when both second- and third-floor lights came on.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	20. Ch20 Unveiled

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay, my muse won't work when my legs are dog tired! And yes, I'm drawing it out on purpose just to torment you! LOL, not really, it's just taking me a while to write.**_

_Disclaimer: Characters from the books belong to JE and are used without permission. The slot/storyline and any new characters belong to me._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 20 - Unveiled**_

The next few days at the bar flew by as preparations for Halloween got into full swing. The last of the ingredients were gathered, and Steph and Bear did as much prep work ahead of time as they could. Dry ice was purchased, and Stephanie and Angel spent some time in the cooler wrapping hand-sized chunks into layers of cheesecloth weighted with large sterile glass weights, and the whole bundles wrapped securely in string. The bundles would be easy to slip into the cauldron as needed, and the 'expired' ones taken out with tongs.

White grapes were washed and frozen then scalded and the skins slipped off. Then the 'eyeballs' were frozen loose on trays for use in the witches' brew. A bowl of crumbled dried mint was prepared for Rabbit to sprinkle in while she muttered and laughed.

Bear brought in food-grade plastic jugs. Steph would fill them with the 'slime' and 'witches' brew' mixtures the night before Halloween and they'd be stored in the cooler to be brought out as needed. The 'blood' was in wine bottles and labeled with blood types – anything with an 'A' in it included wine.

Word was spreading that Bear had some surprises up his sleeves for Halloween, and for the first time Bear worried about exceeding his legal capacity – or worse, getting the party crashed by some legal eagle wanting to cite them for using undisclosed ingredients in their drinks and food. After some brain-storming he decided to make it a private party, with a pass-phrase required to get in. Over the next week the pass-phrase was given to the regular customers, who would be allowed to pass it to friends.

Bear himself would be the greeter/bouncer. Owl and Doc would man the bar, and Angel and Steph would handle the floor with Rabbit tending the cauldron and helping as needed. A couple that were Bear's friends were hired to cook for the evening, because if things went as planned it would be too busy for even their usual full crew. The plans were coming together nicely.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger got lucky and discovered that the third floor of the building directly opposite the bar was used only for storage – and most of it largely untouched for years. He set up a surveillance 'camp' and set the camera on the ledge between the first and second floors – above the vision of street-level sight but well able to see the full length and width of the bar.

He finally got a good enough look inside to figure out the 'Babes' theme in the bar's name, and smiled at how well Stephanie fit in. Also he was able to determine that she lived on the third floor, although since his arrival she'd kept the blinds closed so he hadn't been able to get a good look inside. That was something he intended to remedy soon, maybe on the night of the party.

The Native American man called Bear was not a security fanatic, but he had better than average locks on all the doors and lower-level windows. The basement windows were reinforced glass and had no external lock openings so were pretty much impregnable. The bar windows were double-thick plate glass, and the door was good steel, with a high-quality deadbolt and two old-fashioned slide latches that couldn't be manipulated from outside. The back had only the one door and it was much the same.

The second floor windows on the front were far too visible from the street, and in the back there was no ledge to use to get to them. The third floor had windows on the side walls – one of which he knew led to Steph's apartment – and with a little effort he was sure he could find a way in since the buildings on either side were only two stories tall.

The next few days became a routine - he would spend his early morning sleeping, take a little time around noon looking around the town, and then he'd make his way into his hidden aerie and watch the bar and his Babe.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

The morning of Halloween arrived and Stephanie continued to be jumpy. Bear caught her rubbing the back of her neck several times and wondered if the tension of the upcoming night was getting to her. But he changed his mind when he watched her go to the door for the fifth time and look out the small window with searching eyes.

"What's got you so jumpy, Jersey? Something pinging your radar?"

Steph shot him a quick grin, not a bit surprised by the military phrasing. "Not some_thing_. Some_one_. I know he's close but I can't figure out where he is, or why he hasn't shown himself."

"The cop or the other one?" Bear asked.

"What?" Steph asked in surprise. "How did you…"

"I Googled you when I realized you were never going to tell me the rest of the story. I was curious. You also neglected to mention you were famous. So which one is it?"

"The other guy. Ranger. And I'm not famous."

"His name is Ranger?"

"It's a street name. He's ex-Army Rangers – several of his men are. I don't know why that became his street name."

"So why, if he's here, would he not just come in and say hello?"

Steph chewed her lip a moment before answering. "I was angry when I left, and I told him not to look for me. He probably thinks he can just check up on me and leave without me knowing."

Bear grinned. "He doesn't know about your radar?"

"Spidey-sense," she corrected absently. "And, well, he knows about it. But I don't think he knows how well it picks him up."

"Maybe he'll stop by in costume tonight, then."

"Maybe." Steph answered, but it was obvious her mind was elsewhere.

"Look, Jersey, as soon as Owl and Doc get the sign hung over the bar we're done with the set-up. Why don't you go on upstairs and get a little rest before it's time to get dressed? We're all planning to do the same."

It was true. Bear's apartment had a second bedroom where Owl and Doc could rest, and they planned to spend the night after close since it would be late. There was another apartment on the third floor almost ready for renting that Angel and Rabbit were going to use – he'd brought in nice air mattresses for them, and the bathroom was fully functional and stocked with towels.

"Okay. I'll see you at two-thirty."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Across the street, Ranger rolled onto his back and stretched out, staring up at the water-stained ceiling. He should go back to the hotel for a while and try to rest, and decide if he should stick to his plan or give in and use the costume props he'd bought a few days ago.

He looked at the camera monitor again, even though he knew there wasn't anything to see yet. Bear had black curtains, seldom used, but now they blocked the view through the window into the bar. He'd also hung a 'private party' sign in the windows but Ranger had already figured out that ruse. The pass phrase had gone through the town like a juicy rumor. There probably weren't many people in the vicinity that _didn't_ know it.

He ended up sleeping on the floor for a couple of hours, waking when some sixth sense let him know there was activity in the bar again. Rolling so he could see the monitor, he saw the curtains were still closed but the bar lights were on, and there were flickering lights in the carved pumpkins visible on the window ledge. Dim figures could be seen moving through the fabric of the curtains. He waited, and at three o'clock the bar lights dimmed and the curtains were pulled back.

Flickering candles were on each table, and all the carved pumpkins held lights. The caldron was now filled with what looked like swamp water, bubbling gently and giving off puffs of fog that oozed over the edge of the cauldron toward the floor.

It took a little adjusting on the camera before he could read the "Specials" board hung over the bar, and then he laughed.

**Appetizers**

_Bloody Bones_

_Caterpillars_

_Crunchy Mummys_

**Main Dishes**

_Hand Sandwiches (tastes like chicken!)_

_Worms On A Roll_

_Ham Witch_

**Desserts**

_Bleached Bones_

_Dirt Pudding_

_Worm Cobbler_

_Spiderweb Cookies_

_Crispy Bats_

**Drinks**

_Witches' Brew_

_Slime_

_Blood (with or without a bite!)_

Oh, yeah, he could definitely tell Steph had worked her influence here – after all, Halloween was her favorite holiday!

He caught sight of Bear then, dressed in Native American leather breeches with a quill breastplate. His hair was braided and wrapped with leather, and a lethal-looking tomahawk hung from his belt.

Ranger looked closer, then, curious to see the others' costumes, and especially his Babe's. The tall young man was dressed as a Vampire, with fangs that looked real, pale skin, and the requisite old-fashioned outfit. The other young man was dressed as a gunslinger. From reading Steph's lips he knew she called him Doc, so he was guessing Doc Holliday. He didn't look half bad.

The new girl was dressed as a witch in a costume that was all raggedy. The hat was bent and beneath it she seemed to have sprouted a few warts, greenish skin, and rat-tail hair. The blonde was dressed as an angel – with small white feathered wings, a calf-length white and silver toga, and a silver halo. Her hair was done in golden curls. She looked very nice.

Which left Steph, and so far she hadn't made an appearance. About the time he decided he had to pay the bar a visit, she came in from the back room and he sank back to the floor.

She was a Devil, all right.

The costume was a plain black dress, just above mid-thigh and with off-the-shoulder puffy sleeves. She wore sheer black stockings, and all her accessories were red – red pumps, little red apron tied with a big bow in the back, a red bead necklace – and small red devil horns peeking up through her shiny black curls. She was wearing her killer Jersey-girl distraction makeup, too – shaded eyes, dark eyeliner, lots of mascara, and blood-red lipstick.

Everyone in the bar stopped and stared as she swayed into their midst, and as she walked a red garter flashed high on her thigh just beneath the hem of the dress. She did a slow pivot and struck a model pose – one foot behind the other, hip shot forward – and they all started talking and laughing at once.

Five minutes later they had all gone about their normal business, and people were already starting to show up at the door.

Across the street the third-floor aerie was deserted and empty, as if no one had ever been there.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_

_Okay… You all know he's got a costume, and he may make an appearance at the bar. What costume do you think he's come up with? LOL, let me know..._


	21. Ch21 Devil's Night

Disclaimer: Characters you recognize belong to JE and are used without permission

_**Disclaimer: Characters you recognize belong to JE and are used without permission. Original characters and the storyline are mine.**_

_A/N: I'm sorry for the long delay between posts, my 'real life' hasn't been conductive to writing much lately. I started getting "are you ok?" and "please update!" PMs from some of you. Thank you! I think it was just the boost I needed._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 21 – Devil's Night**_

By three-thirty the bar was half full and most of the customers wore some sort of costume. Bear was handing a coupon for a free non-alcoholic drink to everyone dressed up, which was turning out to be a well-received prize when the customers saw the specials board. Nearly everyone wanted to try one of the Halloween drinks. Bear was starting to wonder if they'd sell anything else tonight.

Next to Bear stood a young man dressed as Quasimodo. His name was Jesse, and he was a former employee who had volunteered to take pictures for the costume contest. Anyone in costume could enter by signing in, getting their picture taken, and taking a ticket with a number on it. Jessie had arrived at three with a digital camera, a digital picture frame, and a gadget that would attach to the bar's big flat-screen TV. The contest would close at eleven and the pictures would be on display on the flat-screen. At twelve the staff would vote and Bear would give out the prizes.

From four o'clock until after nine there was an almost constant stream of people going in and out but Bear still managed to keep an eye on everything. The menu was a big hit and he was glad he'd arranged for the couple from the deli down the street to bring in their portable catering stoves and do the cooking. All the specials were popular tonight, but the hands-down favorite – pardon the pun – was the hand sandwich. Everyone who ordered it laughed as it was put in front of them. From what he could see, it looked like each table was ordering one of everything, determined not to miss anything good.

Rabbit was having a lot of fun with the cauldron. There was usually a small group of people around it, watching it bubble and create the creepy fog that was forming.

Someone was pointing at the floating peeled grapes, and Bear caught part of Rabbit's comments.

"…never heard of eye of Newt? Do you know how hard it is to find guys named Newt around here?" and "No, why would I want it to cure warts?"

Behind the bar, Owl was making a big production of pouring blood from a bottle for a trio of college girls, making them squeal. "Of course, it's much better straight from the source," he was saying, flashing his fanged smile.

He couldn't figure out how Angel was managing to keep her pristine toga clean, and he smiled again when he caught sight of her white sneakers decorated with silver and gold paint.

Steph swept through the crowded room to deliver a full tray to a table where two couples sat. Bear watched as she deftly and dramatically placed each item on the table. He could see she was talking, enthralling the two women at the table just as much as the men, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He shook his head as he watched her sashay away. How could she work in three-inch heels without breaking her ankles?

He heard a click and turned to see Jesse taking pictures of his crew, his camera following the Devil more often than the others.

"Who _**is**_ that girl?" Jesse asked under his breath as Steph struck a pose with Angel for a woman with a camera.

"She's the Jersey Devil, kid – and she's the real deal. Don't fall for her. She'd eat a kid like you for lunch," he said with a grin, only half joking.

"I mean who is she _really_?"

"Jess, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you. Let's just say she's a living legend."

Before they'd opened tonight Bear had encouraged everyone to sit down for a minute, nibble something, and get a drink any time there was a lull. He'd know it would be busy and he didn't want his people too tired to enjoy the fun. They took turns taking quick breaks out of the bar. Owl spent his sitting on the back steps in the fresh air and moonlight. Angel sat down in the back room and bent to her toes to stretch her back. Doc chatted with Jesse about his camera. Rabbit stretched out on a bench in the back and closed her eyes, occasionally giggling to herself about some of the things that had happened so far tonight.

When it was Steph's turn she made her way to Bear's side.

"I'm going upstairs for my break," she said quietly.

"Anything wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"No, just want to fix my makeup. I'll be right back."

He nodded and she headed toward the back at a fast clip, leaving him to wonder if her 'spidey-sense' was still pinging.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Steph ran up both flights of stairs and headed straight for her apartment. As soon as she was inside her eyes went to the table where she'd left a note before going down to work.

The note was still there, printed in big letters on a full sheet of paper.

_Ranger, I know you're here. You might as well come talk to me._

Her heart started hammering in her chest when she saw the new writing below.

_**Midnight. R.**_

She dropped into a chair. He _**was**_ here! It hadn't been her imagination; her 'spidey-sense' was still working.

Kicking off her shoes, she stretched her legs and feet before padding into the bathroom. She relieved herself, washed her hands, and checked her makeup. Her hand was steady as she touched up her lips with the eight-hour lipstick she'd bought to match the costume. A smile crept across her face as she wondered if Ranger would wear a costume into the bar. She didn't see him as the kind of man to dress up for Halloween, but with him she was never sure. He surprised her sometimes.

She stretched again and then straightened her costume and put her shoes back on. It hadn't been much of a break but she had gotten used to the long hours on her feet. Besides, seeing the note had given her a surge of adrenaline.

Back in the bar her eyes flicked to the clock as she checked her tables. It was a quarter after ten. Less than two hours and she'd see Ranger… But she had to finish her shift. Would he stay?

Bear noticed her edginess a little later and wondered what was up, but he didn't have time to find out. The bar was packed. The costume contest closed at eleven, and everyone was watching the 'slide-show' on the flat-screen and arguing about their picks for the various categories. The staff was taking turns going behind the bar and looking through the contestants on the digital picture frame, casting their votes. Some of the customers were arguing about which of the staff's costumes was best.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

At twelve o'clock sharp Bear announced the winners and handed out the prizes and was trying to make his way back to his post at the door. His progress was slowed some by customers who stopped him to say how much they enjoyed the evening, or mention what their favorite part was. He was almost to the door when he heard a glass shatter on the floor near the bar. It wasn't surprising or even all that unusual -- but still, he turned to look in the sudden hush of the bar.

Angel was standing frozen, gripping her tray like a shield. Bear followed her gaze to the barstool at the end of the bar, against the wall, where Steph had first appeared. Now a man all in black sat there.

Jess stepped up beside Bear, whispering, "Where did that guy come from? He didn't come thought this door – I'd remember."

Bear agreed, frowning. The man was all in black – black shirt and pants, black boots, black cape that couldn't conceal the width of his shoulders. A black hat was pulled down to conceal most of his face so all that was visible was the strong line of his beard-shadowed jaw and his shoulder-length black hair.

He didn't realize he'd started forward until Steph waved him off. The sound level was beginning to creep back up as he watched her go to Angel and touch her shoulder reassuringly before walking up to the man. Rabbit was blatantly staring, and Owl and Doc were watchful as Steph stopped and put her hands on her hips.

"You had to make an entrance?"

The man replied without raising his head, his voice low and slightly husky, lightly accented. "What can I say, Babe? The Devil made me do it."

He raised his head slightly and Bear saw his half-smile for a moment. Then Steph laughed and pushed the hat backwards off his head, letting it fall back to reveal the black bandana Zorro mask and Ranger's glittering black eyes.

More than a few spectators gasped when Steph stepped closer and kissed him, her hand coming up to cup his jaw. Ranger's hand splayed wide across her back to hold her in place. Bear felt a stir of envy and beside him he heard Jesse sigh.

"I guess she knows him," Jesse said sadly.

"I guess she does."

Stephanie broke the kiss reluctantly, well aware that most of the eyes in the bar were on them. "Will you stay?" she whispered against his lips.

She felt more than saw his faint nod, and she drew a shaky breath before drawing back. "We close at two an—"

He stopped her with a gentle finger across her lips. "I'll be here, Babe. I'm not going anywhere."

Time suddenly seemed to crawl. Stephanie tried hard to do her job with her usual efficiency even with Ranger's eyes following her. She dodged grasping hands, ignored personal questions, and gently turned down an inebriated proposal. She knew when Ranger responded to Owl's slightly-timid inquiry from behind the bar, and smiled to herself when he seemed to be trying all three of the drinks. Occasionally she caught Ranger's gaze and barely-there smile. But mostly she kept her distance.

Her senses seemed to have gone into hyper-alert; she was aware of everything. She saw the curious looks and the drooling, and heard the speculations being whispered behind hands. She fielded questions as to Zorro's identity and whether or not he knew how to use the real Spanish rapier he wore. She knew _exactly_ when Bear began to make his way toward the bar.

Ranger watched the Native man approach with mixed feelings, wondering if he was about to be grilled or warned off. The way the man carried himself as he walked across the room suggested he'd had training and experience, as did the play of muscle visible in his arms and chest bared by the breastplate. He might be fifteen or twenty years his senior, but Ranger wouldn't bet against him in a fight. Still, Bear managed to surprise him.

"Ranger, I presume?" Bear inquired.

Ranger's eyes narrowed slightly but he nodded, shaking Bear's extended hand briefly.

"Steph mentioned your street name a few days ago. I'm David Navarre, Strong Bear or just Bear to my friends."

"David Navarre. That sounds familiar… Seal Team Three Lt. David Navarre?"

Now it was Bear's turn to be surprised. "I thought Steph said you were an Army Ranger."

"I was, but I worked a few joint projects." Ranger gestured to the seat next to him, inviting Bear to join him.

Bear slid onto the barstool. "I Googled Steph a while ago, when it was obvious she wasn't going to tell me the rest of her story. It was pretty easy to figure out why she might need a break if any of what was printed was true."

Ranger's lips tilted in a rueful smile. "What made it into print was usually only the tip of the iceberg. I just wish she'd told me how she felt instead of taking off. I would have helped."

"Why did you wait so long to come after her?"

"I didn't. She's got the gift."

Bear's eyebrow went up at the phrase. It was slang for the ability to disappear without a trace and generally used only by the upper-echelon 'black-ops' crews in Special Forces. "I didn't catch your name," he hinted.

One corner of Ranger's lips quirked up. "Carlos Manoso, RangeMan Security."

"Retired from the Army?"

"Mostly."

Bear chuckled and let that slide. "I still can't picture Steph as a bounty hunter. Is she good?"

"Her capture rate is nearly one hundred percent. She's got luck and a knack for knowing what people will do." There was a trace of pride in his voice that wasn't lost on Bear.

"Her 'spidey-sense'?" Bear asked.

"She told you about that?"

"She mentioned it." Across the bar an argument was breaking out and Bear glanced over. He frowned but tossed back over his shoulder as he got up, "That's how she knew you were here a week ago."

After a moment of stunned silence, Ranger chuckled.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_TBC…_

_A/N2: I know, it wasn't as much as you wanted! I'll try to get the next chapter (the 'good' one!) up soon._


	22. Ch22 Unmasked

_**Disclaimer: Characters from the books belong to JE. The rest belongs to me.**_

_A/N: Hey, I'm posting! Don't give up -- I'm still working on it!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 22 – The Unmasking**_

Tank never looked up from the security layout drawing on his desk, but he was aware when Lester stepped into the doorway and hovered.

"Problem, Les?" he said without looking up.

"Did Ranger call in last night?"

"Nope."

Lester made a little frustrated noise. "Aren't you worried?"

"Nope."

"It's been nine days."

"Ten."

"He hasn't called to check in for ten days, and you don't think that's a problem?"

"Nope." Tank looked up at Lester this time, his face serene but for one corner of his mouth twitching up. He'd have thought, as hard as Lester had worked to find Stephanie's trail, that he'd have figured it out by now. He leaned back in his chair and watched Santos' face as he worked it through. The light dawned.

"He found her…"

"That would be my guess," he said. He watched surprise, happiness, and puzzlement flit through Lester's eyes, then he frowned and Tank imagined thunderclouds building above Lester's head.

"He found her, and he didn't call to _tell_ us?" Before Tank could even nod, Lester's hands fisted and his temper flashed. Lester paced in a tight circle, muttering through clenched teeth. Tank heard _fucker_ and _gonna kick his ass_ and had to fight not to laugh. It would only piss Lester off more. It only took another minute before he faced Tank again with his hands on his hips.

"When?"

Tank knew when to stop teasing. "His GPS stopped moving nine days ago in Lawrence, Kansas. I figure he's either following leads or he's found her."

Lester grinned as he dropped into one of the chairs in front of the desk, but the grin faded a few moments later to be replaced by a faint frown. "If he's found her, why wouldn't he have called?"

Tank leaned forward and crossed his arms on the desk, letting out a breath in something close to a sigh. "You know Ranger. He's probably watching her, trying to convince himself he can walk away once he knows she's safe." A moment later he looked up in surprise as Lester laughed.

"Tonight's _Halloween_, Tank. You remember how Steph is about Halloween. If Ranger's anywhere near her he won't be able to stay away from her tonight."

Tank looked at the desk calendar and back to Lester, and a smile crept across his face.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

It was ten minutes after two, and Bear and Owl had just ushered the last die-hard partier out the door. Steph breathed a sigh of relief and glanced around the bar at the mess. You could tell it had been a busy night. Glasses and plates were still on the tables, and the chairs were scattered. Crumbs, napkins, straws, stirrers, and other debris littered the floor. It was going to take a while to clean it up, and she was already beyond tired. And Ranger—

Where was Ranger?

She turned in a circle, her eyes searching the tables and booths. He was gone.

Bear noticed what she was doing and he looked around from his position in front of the door before meting her eyes. "He didn't leave through here."

"Who?" Doc asked.

"Zorro," Rabbit answered him in a stage whisper, and they all looked around at the empty bar.

Stephanie turned toward the back with an odd look on her face. Bear intercepted her before she could move, laying a hand on her arm.

"Go ahead and take off, Jersey. You've done more than your share to make this party a success, and you haven't had a full day off in two weeks. You don't need to help clean up. Go on, find your Zorro. I'm sure he hasn't gone far."

Stephanie smiled at him and then stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Tossing an absent smile and a soft goodnight to the others, she took off.

There was no sign of Ranger in the back room, and the keyed deadbolt was still locked on the back door just as it had been since one o'clock when the caters had packed up and left. A locked door was no problem for Ranger, but she really didn't think he had left. He said he would wait.

The stairs seemed both endless and short tonight as she climbed them with a pounding heart. She was pretty sure Ranger was waiting for her in her apartment. Beyond that she wasn't sure of much.

As soon as she stepped out of the stairwell and into the third-floor hallway her apartment door opened. Ranger stood waiting.

Evidently he hadn't been up here long. He had taken off the cape and hat but still had on the Zorro mask and sword, and Steph couldn't help but grin. His lips twitched up, too.

"You like my costume?"

"Yeah, I do," she said as she stepped into the apartment. He closed the door behind her and she heard him turn the lock. "What made you pick Zorro?"

"I remembered you telling me about dressing up as Zorro to give out candy with your grandmother."

"When did I tell you that?"

"The day the Porsche blew up. We had dinner at Rossini's and you told me about you and your grandmother dressing up for Halloween. When I saw the sword in the window of the pawn shop down the street, it clicked." He shrugged slightly and smiled. "I like your costume, too. Your version of the Jersey Devil?"

"Yeah." She smoothed the front of her apron down self-consciously. "I think it looks like Betty Boop playing the Devil, but it was better than the Bigfoot option."

He changed the subject on her. "Why don't we sit down? I know you've got to be tired."

She hesitated for a heartbeat before pulling out one of the chairs by the little table. "Okay. My legs _are_ tired – I don't usually wear heels to work." She settled into the chair with a faint sigh and watched Ranger as he unbuckled the swordbelt and laid it on the table.

He pulled the other chair around to face hers, but instead of sitting down he knelt in front of her and reached for her foot. Ignoring her small protest, he unbuckled her shoe and slipped it off, kneading her foot gently. Chuckling softly at her moan, he continued the massage up her calf to her knee and back down before switching to repeat the process with her other foot. He grinned up at her as he finished.

"I should let you get some sleep," he said as he moved to sit in his chair. "We can talk when you wake up."

As soon as the words were out he found Stephanie on his lap, her legs astride his and her arms around his neck.

"Don't leave me yet," she whispered, burying her face against his neck.

His arms went around her, holding her tight against him as his heart turned over. "Not a chance, Babe. I was going to ask if I could share your bed."

He felt the little shiver that ran through her as she answered. "Yes, but it's not very big."

"We don't need much space," he said softly, threading the fingers of one hand into her hair to hold her close for another few moments. "I missed you."

When she moved he loosened his hold slightly, letting her pull back until they were face to face. Then he kissed her. It was a light kiss but one full of promises.

"My bed is your bed," she said softly, with a trace of shyness. "I missed you, too."

Behind her back his hands found the bow of her red apron and untied it. Her hands went to the knot holding his bandanna mask in place, smiling as it came free and she could remove it. She kissed him again, her fingers stroking his beard-stubbled jaw.

"I need to take a quick shower, and I usually eat a snack before I go to bed. Are you hungry?"

Ranger shook his head slightly, not enough to dislodge her hands. "Your friends kept bringing me samples of the menu to try," he explained. "Why don't you get in the shower and I'll fix your snack. What would you like?"

"Half a peanut butter sandwich, and maybe one of the fruit cups in the fridge. There are drinks in there, too, including some bottled water so help yourself. I'll only be a few minutes."

He reluctantly let her go as she slipped off his lap and headed into the bathroom. He got up, ran one hand down over the front of his slacks in an attempt to arrange himself more comfortably, then went to the sink to wash his hands and make his Babe something to eat.

Steph washed her hair and lathered herself quickly, just wanting to get the lingering scents of beer and cooking grease off. She toweled off and rubbed her hair briskly before running a comb through it to partially tame it. Since she'd forgotten to get clean clothes first, she streaked across the open doorway into the closet and grabbed a sleep-shirt off the shelf. It was one of her thrift-store bargains and had only cost a quarter. The t-shirt fabric was swirled with pink and blue with small white stars, and had been washed enough to be thin and very soft. It came almost to her knees and was comfortable rather than sexy.

Ranger was leaning against the kitchen counter eating a slice of nectarine when she came out, a half-empty bottle of water on the counter beside him. He straightened when he saw her.

"I found your nectarines and I couldn't resist. Is it okay if I use your shower while you eat?"

At her nod, he picked up a small bag she hadn't noticed before and disappeared into the bathroom. She turned to the table where her snack was waiting. On a small plate was a half a peanut butter sandwich and slices of nectarine, probably a little more than half of the one he'd cut. He'd poured her a small glass of sports drink and a cold bottle of water stood beside it.

Her first bite of sandwich made her smile. He'd remembered to put olives on it. How could she not love this man?

She ate quickly then washed her plate and glass and set them in the drainer. Ranger had cleaned up behind himself – the butter and paring knives he'd used were in the drainer, and the peels and pit from the nectarine were wrapped in a paper towel in the trash. She smiled, drank part of her water and took both of the bottles with her to the bed. Turning back the light covers and fluffing the pillows first, she then sat down on the edge of the mattress. She'd barely gotten settled when Ranger came out of the bathroom.

His hair was damp, and he'd shaved. He was wearing a pair of black silk boxers and nothing else.

He slowed to a stop halfway across the room when he saw Stephanie sitting on the bed, and his eyes darkened.

"I'm trying not to start anything because I know you're tired. But you wearing that is not helping me."

Steph looked down at herself and then back up at Ranger with confusion on her face. "I'm covered from my neck almost to my knees," she protested, sliding off the bed to show him.

"I can see through it, Babe. I can see your nipples… and that you're not wearing underwear." When Steph flushed he gave her a slightly strained half-smile. "Do you want to put on something else?"

Her eyes flicked down to his boxers and back up quickly, but he caught how they widened and now she wouldn't quite look him in the face. She licked her lips nervously.

"Maybe not," she said softly as she finally made eye contact. "Maybe I've got my second wind."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	23. Ch23 Reunion

_**Disclaimer: Characters from the books are property of JE and are being borrowed without permission. The weird ones and the plot are mine. Hope you enjoy.**_

_A/N: Yeah, the evil job is almost gone – Friday is my last day! I already feel better. Still have lots to do but I shouldn't be too tired to write anymore. This chapter is kind of short but I'm just getting started again. Thanks to everyone for not giving up on me!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 23 – Reunion**_

She took a single step forward and that was all it took. Ranger was sliding his arms around her in the next breath, his hands spread wide to touch as much of her as possible. Steph threaded one hand into his hair and tugged his head down to take his mouth with her own.

The heat of arousal flared hot and fast. Just the feel of his hands on her through the thin knit felt incredible, better than she could have imagined. And his kiss… God, she'd missed his kisses. He deepened it and she moaned. In response he shifted against her, his hands tightening, making a growling sound deep in his throat. She did what he wanted as if he'd asked, sliding one knee up the outside of his thigh almost to his hip, opening herself to him.

One large warm hand found the hem of the nightshirt and slid beneath it, sliding up her thigh to cup her butt cheek and pulling the shirt up with it. He pressed her close and growled again as he felt her arousal dampen the front of his boxers.

"God, Babe," he breathed as he broke the kiss, "please…"

His other hand pushed the nightshirt further up; her hands pushed the silk down. She felt him bend his knees as he cupped her ass and lifted her and then he was there, pushing into her, sliding deep. She would have cried out if she'd had the breath. He felt so right…

Ranger could barely breathe. He didn't want to move, wanted to stay here buried in her heat forever, but his legs weren't going to hold him. Holding her tight, he turned and sank down on the edge of the bed. Steph's knees came up to bracket his hips and she settled deeper, wringing a groan from his throat.

He slipped into Spanish without realizing it. _"God, Stephanie, I've missed you so much. I was so afraid you weren't going to come back. I couldn't take that, Babe--."_

Steph interrupted him by kissing him, then drew back slightly. "English, Ranger," she gasped. "I can't--."

His hands pushed the nightshirt up further, his hands sliding up her ribs until his thumbs brushed her nipples.

"Nevermind," she gasped, "We'll talk later."

His chuckle was a low rumble in his chest as he continued to push the nightshirt up and off, sliding it down her arms until it slipped free and fell to the floor. As her arms went back around him she found leverage and began to move. They found their rhythm quickly and soon Ranger felt the first orgasm roll through Stephanie. He barely managed not to let him pull him over, too. He wanted to make this last a little longer but to do that he'd have to take control.

He rolled backwards onto the bed, putting her beneath him and slowing things way down. It still wasn't long before Steph was on the edge again and this time she took him with her. Her fingers dug in and held him close as he came. It took a few minutes to get his breath back enough to rearrange them into a more comfortable position to sleep.

Settling onto his back with Steph curled beside him, her head tucked against his neck, he felt the anxiety of the past months fall away. This felt right. He didn't know how it had happened, or when, but somehow Stephanie had filled the empty spaces in his heart. His life would never be the same and he was okay with that. The time had passed when he was willing to contemplate a life without her in it.

"Babe?" he murmured softly, not wanting to wake her if she was asleep.

"'Mmm?"

"I love you."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	24. Ch24 Playing Tourist

_**A/N: You know you've been away from your computer too long when you have to re-read your own story to figure out where you were… LOL, thanks for not giving up on me! I appreciated all the notes; things were just kind of hectic here for a while. Enjoy!!**_

_Disclaimer: Characters from the books property of JE. This is my version of them doing what they want to do. I promise not to break them._

**-oOo-oOo-oOo-**

"_Babe?" he murmured softly, not wanting to wake her if she was asleep._

"'_Mmm?"_

"_I love you."_

_**Chapter 24 – Playing Tourist **_

Steph's reply was soft and slurred but Ranger understood it.

"…_love oo too, al'ays have…"_

He smiled into the dark, holding her close. He'd hoped and he'd suspected but this was the first time she'd actually said it – even if she was practically talking in her sleep. Now all he had to do was get her to admit it when she was fully awake.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ranger woke a few hours later and laid quietly, enjoying the feel of Steph sleeping in his arms. He wanted more, wanted to wake her slowly with kisses and do all the other things she'd been too impatient for earlier. He needed to talk to her, too, make her understand how much she meant to him and how much he'd missed her. How much everyone in Trenton had missed her – and how far his men had gone to find her. But he knew she needed sleep. She'd done a lot of work on that Halloween party and business had been brisk enough to keep her hopping right up until close. She was exhausted. He could wait.

The gray light of early dawn was beginning to creep around the blinds when he slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her. There was enough light for him to pick up her discarded nightshirt and his boxers, and he tossed her shirt over the back of a chair before slipping into the bathroom and closing the door.

He'd left his bag in here last night, and now he retrieved his phone and sat on the toilet lid. It had occurred to him that he hadn't checked in with Tank for over a week. Even though Tank probably wasn't worried he should let him know he'd found Stephanie. It was early in Trenton but Tank would be up.

He was, and there was laughter in his voice when he answered the phone, skipping all preliminaries. "So how's Bombshell?"

Ranger chuckled to himself. He should have known Tank would guess. "She's fine. She's done very well for herself."

The faint sounds of a treadmill being shut down came through the phone along with Tank's amused voice. "You're not going to make me drag information out of you, are you? You called, so I know you want to talk. Was she in Lawrence?"

"Yes," Ranger admitted, "and she hasn't lost her knack for landing on her feet. You won't believe where she's working, or for whom."

Tank made an exasperated noise.

"Remember our very first joint mission with the Navy, the big Lieutenant in charge on SeAL Team Three called Injuin? Navarre? He retired here and owns a bar called Bear's Babes. Steph works for him."

"Bear's Babes?" Tank questioned.

"His Native name is Strong Bear, and the bar's decoration theme is pictures of women like Rosie the riveter, Amelia Earhart and the like. It's a nice place."

"Sounds like Steph would fit right in."

"They call her the Jersey Devil. Nicknames seem to be a tradition at the bar."

"You contact Steph? Talk to her?"

Ranger hesitated because he knew his answer would give away his true feelings, even though he'd already confessed them to Tank. "Yeah. You know how Steph is with Halloween – Navarre is just as bad. The bar had one hell of a party last night. I couldn't stay away."

Tank chuckled, but after a moment he asked gingerly, "Was Steph pissed that you just showed up?"

"No. Navarre said she knew I was here last week."

"Ah. The spidey-sense."

"Seems I've underestimated it."

"Maybe it's stronger with you."

Ranger didn't know what to say to that, but that was something he'd wondered about.

He changed the subject. "Everything okay there?"

"Yeah. No account problems, no injuries."

"Lula?"

"Doing fine. She's been handling most of the low-range skips with only takedown help from one of the guys – usually Cal, for some reason they get along. That and looking for a place we can share is keeping her busy. She thinks everything is too expensive."

"You can afford anything you want."

Tank's hesitation was telling. "I haven't gotten around to explaining my financial details yet. I'd like to build our own place, but I want something for now, too."

Ranger thought a moment. "Check the safe-house files. I'm pretty sure some of them are due to be flipped. If any of them will work for your in-between place, take it."

"That's an idea. I'll look at the files."

"Call if you need me. I'll let you know when I head back."

"Tell Steph hi from all of us," Tank said before Ranger could disconnect.

"I will."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Stephanie was stirring when Ranger got back to the bed and he took advantage. Easing himself onto the mattress, he coaxed her closer to awareness with gentle caresses and barely-there kisses. Gradually he shifted until he was where he wanted to be and began a more dedicated attempt to wake her.

He brushed kisses along her eyebrows, down across her cheekbones, and along her jaw. She turned into his lips, seeking his mouth with her own before she'd even opened her eyes. The corners of his lips quirked upwards.

He kissed her softly, quickly, returning to his exploration after only the briefest of pauses. Steph made a sleepy disgruntled noise. But she arched her neck for him when his lips detoured beneath her ear.

The path of his explorations was slow and wandering. He left little skin untouched as he re-explored her body from head to toe, refreshing his memory. Her hands came up to tangle in his hair as he kissed down over one hip bone; as he kissed back up the opposite thigh she began to moan and squirm.

"Ranger…Ranger, please," she gasped.

"Shh," he soothed, "just relax, Babe. I don't want to rush."

"Oh, god," she moaned, and pulled a pillow over her face.

Smiling, he continued, parting the tight curls and finding her most tender flesh. Even muffled by the pillow he still heard her cry out when his lips closed over her and his tongue came out to play. He explored each delicate fold and coaxed the small nub to attention, and when he'd finally partially satisfied his cravings he slipped a finger into her wet heat and started over again.

She was trembling in the aftermath and her inner muscles still gripped his fingers when he finally kissed his way back up her body, paying loving homage to her belly and breasts. He took the pillow away and tossed it on the floor then gathered her into his arms. Holding her eyes with his, he entered her… one long slow thrust that had her writhing.

He brushed kisses across her face and waited until she caught her breath.

"I love you," he said softly, "and _Dios_, Babe, I've _missed_ you..."

Before she could reply he kissed her and began to move, but the way she held him and cried out his name as she came told him all he needed to know.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

It was a little after noon when Ranger woke again. Stephanie stirred in his arms and he pulled her closer, pressing his face into her wild curls. Her stomach growled loud enough for him to hear and he smiled, glad to know some things didn't change. She'd wake soon.

He thought about getting up and making a quick trip to the bakery down the street, then changed his mind. He'd rather stay here and hold her. How often had he had the chance to watch her wake up? He would take her out to eat, if she wanted, when she was up.

The pale hand on his chest flexed, her nails scratching lightly against his skin, and his breath caught at the reaction of his body. He took a slow deep breath and put his head back, all but laughing at himself. God help him if Steph ever realized just what her touch did to him!

It took a little over twenty minutes from that first twitch of her hand until her eyes flickered. She surfaced slowly, as if she didn't really want to wake. Maybe her stomach was insisting – it complained a few more times. She shifted, turning her face away from the light coming around the edges of the blinds, and tried to burrow into him. He didn't mind that part.

Her eyelashes fluttered. Then one eye cracked open slightly, followed a blink or two later by the other. The hand on his chest flattened for a moment, then her thumb stroked against a rib, and finally she blinked and looked at him.

"You're really here," she whispered, a slow, sleepy smile creeping across her face. "I thought I dreamed it."

"I'm here," he agreed with a smile, reaching up to brush curls back from her eyes.

For a few moments she just smiled at him. Then the rest of her mind woke up and she asked one of the questions he'd known she'd ask.

"You've been in Lawrence for a while, haven't you?"

He nodded slowly.

"How long?"

"I drove into town ten days ago. I got lucky at the bus stop – evidently the janitor there is a fan of the Jersey Devil -- but it took me another day to track you down here." He stroked her cheek with the back of one finger. "Navarre already told me you knew I was here."

Stephanie nodded slowly, holding his eyes. "I could feel you." Her lashes swept down, hiding her eyes from him as she gave a half-laugh. "It sounds silly, I know, but sometimes I can…_feel_…when you come into a room, or when you're watching me."

"Your 'spidey-sense'," he murmured. "I didn't realize it was that strong."

She gave him a questioning look.

He explained quietly as his fingers continued to stroke her skin and hair. "The day you hung the spiderwebs in the bar's front window, I was on a roof halfway down the block. I was watching you through a camera, lying flat on the gravel three stories up. There's no way you could have seen me."

"That's…"

"Incredible," he finished for her.

"I was going to say creepy."

"That I was watching you?"

"No—that I could feel you watching me. That's not normal."

"Because you're not normal, you're incredible." He punctuated his words with a kiss on her forehead.

She gave him a bemused smile. "Okay, I like your version better," she said, and was interrupted by her stomach's low growl.

Ranger chuckled, and then slid his hand down her side and around toward her belly. "Are you hungry? The beast has been complaining for a while."

"Yeah, I am," she sighed. "Unfortunately, last week was so busy I didn't shop, so I don't have much here."

"You've been eating on the run downstairs." He knew – he'd been watching.

"Um, yeah. Before that, though, I was doing pretty good about keeping my cupboards stocked and fixing my own meals. Don't laugh, but I've even learned to cook a few things."

"I always knew you could if you wanted, Babe."

She surprised him with a quick, hard kiss, but before he could speak again her stomach sounded its displeasure loudly. She drew back, and gave him an embarrassed grin.

"I guess we should go get something to eat," she said. "Or I could go downstairs and make smoothies."

"Let's get dressed and I'll take you out. You'll have to pick a place, though. I haven't ventured very far."

She gave him a faint grin. "Neither have I, really. I've only explored on foot, except for trips to the store with Bear. Maybe we can play tourist today."

"Sounds like a plan."

Stephanie ended up taking a quick shower to fix her bed-head while Ranger shaved. He watched with some bemusement as she rubbed a dab of mousse through her hair and finger-fluffed her curls, then put on a little eye-shadow and mascara. That was it, and she headed for the closet to get dressed.

Steph dressed in jeans and a long sleeved sage-green t-shirt printed with flowers in silver foil. Much to her surprise, Ranger put on jeans and a wine-red Henley shirt. After a short discussion on food cravings on the way down the stairs, they walked the two blocks to Ranger's rented SUV and headed for the south side of town and a local pizza place.

"I've had their pizza, but I haven't actually been there," she was saying as she dug through her purse. She made a satisfied noise and pulled a postcard out of her wallet. "This coupon came in the mail a few days ago, and it's got a map on it. It shouldn't be hard to find."

Ranger took the card at the next light and studied it for a moment. "It looks pretty easy to find," he agreed. And it was.

The place was pretty busy since it was Saturday. The crowd was the usual mixed bag Stephanie had become accustomed to in Kansas. There were old and young, some dressed nicely and some obviously on their way home from ballgames, sweaty kids in dirty uniforms and all. But the pizza made up for it – shaved roast buffalo with onions and green peppers on a whole-wheat crust, topped with low-fat cheese. Ranger was pleasantly surprised by the taste and especially that Stephanie seemed to like it. There was even a salad bar.

Back in the SUV Ranger produced the tourism brochure from the bus station. Their first foray was a stroll along one of the trails in the park along the river. But clouds started blowing in and they had to cut it short.

The afternoon passed all too quickly at the Natural History Museum at KU, and as evening fell they headed back to the bar. They ate in one of the small restaurants within walking distance on Massachusetts Street.

Walking back, Ranger broke the comfortable silence. "I like your apartment, Babe, but I've got a hotel room just down the street that has a king-size bed. Would you spend the night with me there?"

Steph grinned up at him. "I'm surprised you stayed last night, sleeping in my little bed. That can't have been very comfortable for you."

"Last night you were exhausted, and just being with you was more important. But tonight I'd like to have a little more room to…play."

Steph looked up at him in surprise. A hint of mischief sparked in her eyes. "Play?"

The corner of Ranger's mouth quirked upwards. "Um-hmm."

"I get to _play_ first," she announced saucily then turned and sprinted for the back lot and Ranger's SUV.

Ranger was right behind her.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_

_A/N2: The pizza place described in my story is a cross between two real Kansas pizza shops. Wheat State Pizza (several locations, including one in Lawrence) has wonderful pizza on whole-wheat crusts – and I don't usually like whole-wheat anything! – but the buffalo pizza toppings are straight from Buzzard's Pizza in Lyndon, KS. Wonderful! Steph really would like it!_


	25. Ch25 Interlude

_**A/N: Sorry you had to wait so long for this! I get hung up on the weirdest things… **_

_Disclaimer: Characters from the books are property of JE. Everything else is mine._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 25 – Interlude**_

The heavenly scent of coffee teased Steph from the abyss of sleep. With effort, she peeled one eye open to locate the source and spotted Ranger standing by the window. He seemed to be looking outside through a small gap in the curtains. A cup of steaming coffee was cradled in one strong, long-fingered hand.

He was naked.

Steph blinked and her other eye opened, anxious not to miss anything.

She had to bite her lip to keep from moaning. The damned man was unfairly good-looking by anyone's standards. Fresh from the shower, his hair still damp and tousled, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. The air conditioner kicked on and now she could catch the faint scent of Bulgari and clean male wafting across the room. Places low in her body tightened.

Ranger must have felt her gaze. The corner of his mouth curved up even before he turned his head to meet her eyes. "Good morning, Babe."

"It is so far," she agreed, her voice still husky from sleep. "Got any coffee left for me?"

"Beside you."

Steph pushed up on one elbow and looked around. Sure enough, on the corner of the nightstand next to her a cup waited. It was still steaming hot and already had cream and sugar in it just the way she liked it. The curve of Ranger's lips became a full-fledged smile as he leaned his shoulder against the wall and watched her suck down half of it before she slowed.

"What were you doing?" she asked a moment later.

"Looking for clouds. The forecast says afternoon thunderstorms are possible but right now the sky is clear and nearly as blue as your eyes. Are you hungry for breakfast?"

It took a moment for Steph to register the change in subject and answer the question. "Not yet. Are you?"

Ranger came over and sat on the edge of the bed. Stephanie couldn't help but appreciate the flex of muscle across his body as he stretched one arm out to put his cup on the nightstand.

"What shift do you work tonight?"

"Three to close."

"What time do you need to be there?"

"Probably two-thirty, so I can change clothes and help get the set-up done. Why"

Ranger took her cup and set it next to his. His eyes kept her mesmerized as he slowly peeled the sheet away from her body. "It's only ten-thirty," he said as she watched his eyes darken, "and I'm hungry for something else."

He watched her eyes slip down his length as he moved over her, caught her small gasp at what she saw. His smile turned predatory as he settled himself between her thighs.

"I haven't showered yet," she protested breathlessly, half-heartedly.

"We can take one later," he said, and lowered his head.

Her mouth tasted of sweet coffee and he kissed her long and deep, until her lips were swollen and pink and her body rubbed eagerly against his. Her neck arched for him as he scraped his teeth along her skin, and her whole body shuddered when he closed his lips over one puckered nipple. Steph's hands slid over his shoulders and tangled in his hair.

His attentions over the course of the night had left her ultra-sensitive, so he moved slowly and tried to be gentle. The sounds Steph was making had him achingly hard and he nearly groaned in relief when she dug her fingers into his back, urging him on.

He did groan when he was fully sheathed in her heat, felt her arch up beneath him to take him deep. Bracing his weight on one forearm, he slid the other hand under her to hold her in place and began to move. Long, slow strokes meant to make the torturous pleasure last – but when she shattered he surrendered and let her pull him over the edge with her.

They held each other without words as their hearts slowed to normal. Then Ranger's stomach growled and Stephanie burst out laughing.

"I guess it's time for breakfast!" she teased, and giggled at Ranger's sheepish grin.

They showered together, indulging in a little hanky-panky under the warm water, and had a second cup of coffee while they dressed. Steph's shirt from the day before was badly wrinkled so Ranger loaned her a t-shirt and they went in search of food..

Since it was nearly noon they had a leisurely brunch at a pancake house before taking a meandering route back toward the downtown area and Babes. It was one thirty and Bear was moving something in the walk-in cooler when Stephanie opened the back door with her seldom-used key.

"Look what the Devil dragged in!" Bear greeting them with a chuckle. "I was just trying to remember if I'd seen you come back in last night or not."

"Not after we went out to eat," Steph said with a smile for the older man. "We only came back to get Ranger's SUV." She turned to Ranger and added, "I'm going to get ready for work." And she took off up the back stairs.

When Steph turned the corner out of sight, Bear turned to Ranger. "Are you going to stick around tonight?"

"I was thinking about it. Why?"

Bear grinned. "I figured we could swap lies between customers, and maybe I could get you to tell me some stories about Stephanie. Some of the newspaper stories I read were a little confusing."

Ranger just chuckled.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

As a general rule Sundays were slow. There were regulars that came in to watch sports on Bear's big-screen TV, drink beer, and eat burgers. Small groups of students came in, most of which stuck to food and soft drinks with only the occasional beer or frozen drink. Ranger took the barstool where he'd made his dramatic appearance and kept up an easy conversation with Bear, occasionally punctuated with soft laughter. When it was slow Steph joined them, drinking Coke on ice, a little bemused at seeing such a relaxed side of Ranger.

Owl and Doc stopped in for a beer and listened in for a while, curious to meet this mysterious friend of Stephanie's.

Steph was cleaning off a table about two hours before closing time when Bear changed subjects on Ranger.

"Are you staying in a hotel?" he asked.

Ranger nodded.

"There's a decent queen-size air mattress across the hall in that apartment Rabbit and Angel used Friday night, if you'd rather stay here with Jersey. There are clean sheets on the folding table in the laundry room – you know where that is, don't you? And the pillows are still sitting on the bed."

"Thank you," Ranger said. "I appreciate the offer."

Bear waved it off. "Just make yourself at home," he said, and went to wait on a customer.

Ranger thought about it and turned to look at Stephanie. She turned to meet his gaze with a questioning look within a few moments, and the corner of Ranger's lips quirked. He got up and met her heading back to the bar.

He stepped close and explained Bear's offer quietly, and Stephanie smiled.

"I'd like that, if you don't mind. There's no point in you spending money on a room, and if you'll drive me to the store we won't have to go out to eat."

"You'd cook for me?" Ranger asked her with a bemused smile.

Stephanie's cheeks colored slightly. "If you'll keep in mind that I'm still a beginner, yes."

Ranger bent to kiss her and a five-voice chorus of "ooohs!" rose from a table of college boys. Steph hid her face in Ranger's shoulder and he hugged her, chuckling. "I'm going to get my things and check out of the motel, and I'll be back."

"Okay." Steph smiled up at Ranger as he let her go. She had herself back under control now, and shot the rowdy boys a scowl worthy of the Devil. They grinned back at her but settled down, and Ranger left still smiling.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

It got busy for a while after that. Stephanie didn't actually see Ranger again until Bear was locking the door behind the last customer, and then she was surprised to see him coming out from behind the bar with a bus tub.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a bemused tone.

"Helping." The corners of his eyes crinkled slightly. "More hands, less time."

He'd watched Stephanie and Angel go through their close routine once, so he did what Angel had done – load the dishes, glasses, and trash in the tub and the condiments on a big tray. Steph went behind washing the tables and chairs down with disinfectant cleaner and putting the chairs up on the tables upside down. Bear took charge of the duties behind the bar and handed Ranger a broom with a big grin. Ranger took it in good humor. They made a good team. Everything was done in very short order and Bear shooed them upstairs before he did his final round to check the locks.

When Steph opened her door she found Ranger had been busy up here, too. The platform bed and recliner had both been moved slightly to make room for the queen-sized air mattress, and it was already in place and made up with sheets, a blanket, and pillows.

"Wow…" Steph stopped in surprise and Ranger had to push her a little further into the apartment so he could close the door. "I thought you just went to get your stuff from the hotel."

"You were busy. I decided to make myself useful." He guided her toward the bathroom, knowing she liked to take a shower after work. He wanted one himself. The bar was nice, and cleaner than average, but the smells of beer and fried foods did cling. "I got a few things, too, so we can have a snack after our shower."

They shared a shower, keeping it short because they were both a little tired. The apartment was cool this time of night, so they both pulled on clothes – workout pants for Ranger, sweatpants for Steph, and t-shirts for them both – so they'd be comfortable until they went to bed.

Steph found her little refrigerator stocked with more than just a few things for snacks, and she shot Ranger a look over her shoulder.

"I stopped for milk, and decided I might as well save a trip. I'll still take you if there's anything else you want."

Opening a cabinet door she found coffee, granola, pop-tarts, even hot chocolate mix and a variety bag of snack-size candy bars. "I can't imagine what that would be," she muttered to herself with a bemused smile. "You even got some more olives."

Ranger pulled a small pre-made tray of snacks out of the fridge and they sat down at the table. They ate cheese and crackers and thin slices of pepperoni, carrot sticks and raw broccoli. Steph finished off the old jar of olives, surprised yet again when Ranger stole a few.

She cleaned up the small mess and wiped off the table while Ranger did whatever his nightly bathroom things were. When he came out she took her own turn, cleaning the last traces of makeup from her face with a makeup remover wipe, brushing her teeth, and running her fingers through her almost-dry hair.

When she came out of the bathroom she spotted his discarded clothes first. The workout pants and t-shirt were tossed over the arm of the recliner. Ranger was in bed, propped on one elbow, with his head cocked towards the door as if he was listening to something.

She stopped and listened, too. She could faintly hear the beat of rock playing somewhere. "It's just Bear," she told Ranger. "He's got a weight machine downstairs near the laundry room. It's his way of relaxing, I guess. It's not unusual for him to spend some time there before he goes to sleep."

Ranger looked up at her, smiling when he saw what she wasn't wearing. "I can think of better ways," he said softly.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_TBC…_


	26. Ch26 Normality

A/N: I was trying to hustle this story towards it's wrap-up but Bear wanted to have his fun, too. We _are_ getting closer to the conclusion, I promise!

_Disclaimer: Characters from the books are property of JE and borrowed without permission, and will be grudgingly returned. All original characters, settings, and the story belong to me._

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 26 – Normality**_

The next morning Ranger was quite shocked to wake up and find Steph already up and in the little kitchen. Not only was she awake, she'd managed to get up without disturbing him, _and_ she was apparently preparing to cook breakfast.

She gave him a distracted smile when he sat up.

"Good morning. Did I wake you?"

"No, you didn't." Even to himself he sounded bemused. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long. About fifteen minutes, maybe." She eyed the items laid out on the counter and nodded to herself absently, then turned back toward him. "I'm starting breakfast but I'm slow, so it'll be a little while."

"Okay. No rush." The smile he gave her was bright enough to make her blink, but he didn't want to hold it back. She was so adorable, standing there in just her t-shirt with her hair still wild from the pillow, getting ready to actually cook for him. If he hadn't already loved her he'd have fallen then.

She turned back to the counter and he watched for a moment as she started carefully slicing some of the fresh mushrooms he'd bought. He wondered what she was making, then realized it didn't matter. He'd eat anything she made for him even if it was burnt to a crisp.

He made his way into the bathroom, took care of necessities, and had a quick shower. Then he took his time brushing his teeth and shaving. He found it was a little difficult to shave when you couldn't seem to stop smiling. He combed out his hair but left it down so it could dry – Stephanie seemed to like it loose anyway.

Stephanie was carefully sliding an omelet onto a plate when he came out of the bathroom, and a second one was already waiting on the counter. The first one looked a little crispy around the edges, but they smelled good and he said so.

Her smile was just a little nervous as she sat the plates down on the already-set table and turned to get the coffee carafe. "I hope you like it. I've discovered I like some combinations other people think are strange."

As soon as she seated herself Ranger took a bite, and his eyes went wide with surprise. Instead of being loaded with cheese as he'd half expected, the omelet was filled with shaved smoked ham, lightly sautéed mushrooms and sweet onions, and a light sprinkling of some white melted cheese that he couldn't identify offhand. He actually heard himself make a noise of approval while he was chewing. "This is wonderful, Babe!" he said as soon as he swallowed, already busy reloading his fork. "What kind of cheese is this?"

Beaming and her cheeks faintly pink she answered. "I don't know the name offhand. The little deli around the corner sells it in round balls the size of a baseball. I think it's a Mexican cheese. We can go find out what it's called later, if you want."

They finished eating with enjoyment, lingering at the table with coffee until the pot was empty. Then Ranger offered to clean up the dishes while Steph got dressed.

"You work tonight then have Tuesday night off, right?" Ranger asked as he picked up their plates. At her nod he continued, "Is there anything you'd like to do?"

"We can explore Massachusetts Street for a while today if you want. There are some interesing stores, that deli I mentioned, and a really diverse mix of people. Usually there are posters of upcoming events, too – maybe we'll find something for tomorrow."

"Sounds interesting."

While Steph took a quick shower and got dressed, Ranger washed the few dirty dishes and changed his own clothes, putting on jeans, a slate-blue t-shirt, and a lightweight windbreaker. Steph came out wearing faded carpenter jeans and a tye-dye t-shirt, carrying a blue hoodie. Her hair was still damp and she'd combed it smooth, but already curls were starting to break free.

They went down the front stairs and out onto the street, walking the two blocks to Massachusetts in comfortable silence. Ranger was holding her hand and Steph couldn't stop smiling.

As Stephanie had promised, the businesses lining both sides of Massachusetts Street for nearly ten blocks were, in a word, eccentric. There were palm and tarot readers next door to music stores, leather shops next to coffee shops, the little deli next door to an home décor store. They saw college kids, old hippies, yuppies, Goths, grunge, and 'Burg housewife clones, even one big guy in black that could have passed for a RangeMan employee. Ranger followed Stephanie through a few stores, including a thrift store where she found and bought a heavier denim jacket. They found posters for a concert at the old Granada Theater the next night, headlining some new-age band that Steph vaguely recognized. The guitar-playing couple from the apartment above the furniture store would be playing at the coffeeshop from seven to nine, and she thought Ranger might like that. She'd enjoyed hearing them play the night of the tornado. Of course, when she mentioned that she had to tell Ranger the whole story.

"I've been through some pretty wild storms in my time, all over the world, but I've never been near a tornado," Ranger confided. "It sounds frightening."

"Bear drove me to see some of the damage the next afternoon. It was like a war zone in some places, like buildings had been blown up by bombs. In another spot there was a house foundation and driveway, but absolutely nothing left of the house. And the houses on either side looked untouched. Big trees pulled up by the roots and just laying everywhere…" She trailed off and shuddered. "Bear says they don't have that many, but one was enough for me."

"It didn't scare you away, though, did it?" Ranger asked softly. "You handled it. You're stronger than you think – you always have been."

They stopped and ate lunch at the deli on their way back to the bar, also buying some more of the strange round cheese. Ranger laughed when Stephanie bought – and made him taste – a fried pickle. It was interesting, but definatly an aquired taste.

Back at her apartment, Ranger talked Steph into laying down and putting her feet up until she needed to go to work. He mentioned something about needing to do some laundry and she sleepily told him that use of the laundry room downstairs was part of her 'rent' agreement with Bear. He refused her offer of help and took his dirty clothes downstairs alone.

After getting his laundry started he went on down to the bar to see if Bear was around. He found him cleaning and cutting fruit for drinks and garnish in the prep area off the kitchen. As usual Bear greeted him with a smile.

"Did Jersey run you off?" he teased as Ranger found an old barstool to sit on.

"No, I talked her into taking a nap with her feet up. We walked up and down Mass Street today, and I don't want her feet to hurt tonight. I've got some laundry in your machines, too. Steph said you wouldn't mind."

"No problem."

"Would you like some help? I'm decent with a knife."

Bear's white grin flashed. "I'll bet. But no, I'm almost finished here. I'm expecting a beer delivery any minute though, so if you wouldn't mind opening the back door when they ring –"

Almost as he said it, the buzzer over the back door sounded. Ranger unlocked it and opened it up to a uniformed kid who looked like he should still be in school. A white truck with the distributer's logo on the side was backed up to the dock, and a slightly older man was climbing out of the cab.

Ranger watched as Bear directed the delivery of several kegs and dozens of cases of bottled beer with the ease of practice, joking with the two men as they worked. While they got their paperwork ready Bear disappeared into the front room and came back with two bottled soft drinks, and handed the bottles and a check to the men before signing the delivery slip.

Bear cast an eye into the cooler for what was needed, then Ranger helped carry and load some of the cases into shelves in the cooler. One of the kegs was also roll-walked into the back to cool. They had just finished when the phone rang. While Bear went to answer it, Ranger ran upstairs to put his clothes in the dryers.

When he got back downstairs, Bear was sitting in his office at the desk, frowning. "Owl just called in sick," he explained before Ranger even asked. "He sounded terrible. Doc has evening classes…" he was more or less talking to himself, looking at the calendar blotter on the desk where he'd obviously noted the work schedules. "Angel can help out behind the bar but…Rabbit is—no that won't work." He looked up at Ranger with suddenly assesing eyes. "I don't suppose you can tend bar."

Ranger blinked. "I'm no expert, but I could handle the usual stuff," he said. "If you get much call for mixed stuff I may need a guide."

"There's one under the bar next to the register. Do you know _any_ of the more uncommon mixed drinks?"

"I can mix a Jersey Devil," Ranger said with a sly half-grin. "And I seem to remember a White Rabbit, a Blue Hooter, an Angel's Kiss, a Southern Doc… and a Bearscicle."

Bear was startled into a laugh. "You lie!"

"No, I'm pretty sure I remember them!" Ranger defended with a chuckle.

They went to the bartender's bible under the cash register and sure enough, Ranger was right.

"See if we have all the ingredients, and write down anything we need for those drinks and I'll make a run to the store." He reached under the counter for the big dry-erase board they used for bar specials. "This will work out great. Monday nights are usually busy in the fall with football season, and my customers will be feeling kind of let down after the Halloween party. They'll get a kick out of this."

Ranger was scanning the shelves behind and under the bar. It was surprisingly well stocked. There were only a few things missing. Within a few moments he handed Bear the short list – whole milk or ice cream, honey, apple cider, cranberry juice, and a couple of apples. Bear took the list and handed him the specials board, then took off with a grin.

Stephanie came looking for Ranger a few minutes later and found him standing behind the bar holding the specials board with the kind of bemused look on his face she usually saw only after one of her disasters. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Where's Bear, and what are you doing?"

"I think I'm supposed to be writing drink specials on this," he answered her last question first, laying the board down on the bar. "I was talking to Bear, then Owl called in sick. He asked if I could mix drinks, I told him some I remembered, and now he's gone to get ingredients." Stephanie started grinning and he frowned at her. "I'm not real sure how this happened."

Stephanie laughed out loud at that. "Welcome to my world, Ranger. This kind of stuff happens to me _all_ the time. Even here in Kansas." She got a package of dry markers out of a basket under the bar and pulled the board closer to her. "So, what are your specials?"

Ranger listed them off again and Steph wrote them down, her grin growing with each name until finally she started snickering at 'Bearscicle' but shooting him a speaking glance when he said 'Jersey Devil'.

"Are these real drinks? You didn't make them up?"

He held up the guide. "They're in here. Bear checked."

"I want to try a Bearscicle," she said.

"You'll probably want to wait until after work," Ranger advised with a small smile. "It's a pretty stout drink."

"What about a Jersey Devil?"

"It doesn't taste that strong – it's kind of like cranberry-apple juice. But it'll sneak up on you fast."

Angel came in the back door and was curious what was going on. It was nearing three and they needed to get the tables set up so Stephanie filled her in as they worked. Stephanie did make sure to introduce Ranger and Angel properly and was glad to see Ranger put her at ease. Then Bear was back with the supplies and an oatmeal-colored t-shirt with the bar's logo on it for Ranger to wear. Steph heard Angel suck in a breath when Ranger just changed shirts behind the bar.

"Holy Cow!" Angel exclaimed in a whisper to Stephanie. "That man has a_ body_!"

"Yes, I _know_!" Steph whispered smugly. "Actually, all the men who work for his security company do. You should see them all together."

"Why?"

"They make those Chippendale guys look scrawny and anemic by comparison."

Angel got a faraway look on her face and Steph chuckled.

She went to the bar to fix her usual Coke and pick up her apron and order pad. "Are you ready for this?" she asked Ranger. The t-shirt fit tight across his chest and shoulders just like his black t-shirts usually did, but somehow the lighter color made him look bigger. She wanted to drool and it must have shown on her face because Ranger grinned and pulled her in for a quick kiss as Bear headed to unlock the front doors.

"For luck," he explained. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He looked up where Bear had hung the specials board over the bar. "Maybe everyone will just stick to beer."

Steph laughed at his optimism. She conferred briefly with Angel on the division of tables as the first customers came through the door, and the night was off and running.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_TBC…_


	27. Ch27 Tending

_**A/N: This one's not long or smutty, sorry. Our weather is changing and it has my head feeling like an overripe watermelon – in danger of exploding.**_

_**BTW, whoever at FFN thought up Reader Tracking is my new hero! Being able to see how many countries your readers are from is SO COOL! I'm not sure I could find some of them on a map…I should have paid closer attention in World Geography. Woot!**_

_Disclaimer: Same as previous twenty-six chapters…_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 27 **__**– Tending **_

As usual, there weren't many customers between the time the bar opened and five o'clock. A few college kids came in for burgers. Two older men met for a beer and argued over the teams scheduled to play later.

Things started picking up after five. There were a lot of regulars that stopped in after work for a quick drink. Others came in to eat. By the time the pre-game show started there were several tables of people there to watch the game. Most of them were men but there were a few women in the mix.

Stephanie saw several older women eyeing Ranger and noticed more than one headed for the bar to get their own drinks. She had to hide a smile when a sixty-year-old woman brazenly flirted while Ranger mixed her drink. To give him credit, so far Ranger had been handling it all with ease and a pleasant almost-smile fixed on his face. After the woman turned away, though, Stephanie saw him shoot her an exasperated look.

The bar was filled by game time. Bear had the kitchen cranking out food and the bar kept Ranger busy. Angel and Stephanie were kept hopping.

"Don't look now," Angel said quickly as she and Stephanie both were picking up orders, "but that table of college girls have been taking pictures of your man."

"What?"

"Just watch. They're taking turns going to the bathroom. When they come back out they have their phones in hand, and they pause for just a second - just long enough to snap a picture. And when they sit back down there's another round of giggling."

Angel took off with her laden tray and Steph watched from the corner of her eye as she emptied used glasses into the bus tub. They were taking pictures – but she honestly couldn't blame them. Ranger was a walking wet dream.

Thirty minutes later she belatedly realized they'd been sending the pictures to friends. The first booth was now packed, an adjoining table was filling rapidly and more were coming in. Shit. A chorus of cheers rose from the tables of football fans and she paused to survey the room.

The usual crowd of fans held three booths and four tables. The wives and girlfriends that sometimes came along were present in unusual numbers, some scattered in with the men but most in clusters at a number of booths and tables. There was a lot of low-voiced chatter punctuated with occasional low laughter and stealthy glances towards the bar. Stephanie shook her head slightly to herself and wondered if she should say anything to Ranger.

Looking toward the bar where Ranger was pouring a pale pink blended drink for a thirty-something woman she realized he was well aware. His almost-smile from earlier was missing. As if he'd felt her gaze his head came up and his eyes met hers.

His face changed and his lips quirked up, and he gave his head a slight jerk. Steph looked around quickly and headed for the bar.

Ranger came to the end of the bar to meet her. He surprised her, taking her tray and putting it on the counter and grabbing her hand, leading her through the kitchen behind Bear with a brief "five minutes" tossed over his shoulder. As soon as they were around the corner and out of sight he pushed her gently up against the wall.

Steph looked up at his face searchingly, not quite able to read his expression. She started to apologise for the amount of harassment he was having to endure when he spoke, his hands going around her waist.

"I've lost count of the number of times some guy out there has tried to grab you," he said, his voice a low growl.

"Me?" she questioned in surprise. She couldn't quite stop the laugh that bubbled up from her throat. "I don't suppose you noticed the table of college girls taking pictures of you with their camera phones, or that the number of college girls and football 'widows' has more than doubled since the beginning of the game."

"What?" His bafflment was plain and had Steph giggling. A fraction later he caught on and his chuckle blended with hers. He leaned down to rest his forehead against hers for a moment, and then one hand cupped her head, turning her face up for his kiss.

Several minutes later they broke apart to the loud cheers of the crowd out front. Ranger groaned, reluctantly easing his grip, Steph's hands sliding down his chest from where they'd been tangled in his hair.

"Sounds like somebody scored," he said, watching Steph's teeth catch her lower lip. Her lips were red and swollen from their kiss and her eyes were deep blue.

"We'll catch up later," she whispered with a grin as she smoothed down the front of her shirt. She caught his arm when he reached up to re-tie his hair.

"Leave it down," she said, tilting her head slightly as she looked up at him with a Cheshire cat grin. "I like it down."

_Uh-huh_, he thought, watching her scoot back through the kitchen. She'd messed his hair up on purpose – marking him as 'taken'. He smiled to himself, wondering if she realized she looked thoroughly kissed. _All's fair_, he decided, then willed his body to calm down. That much of a show they didn't need.

The crowd thinned out after the game was over, with only the die-hards remaining an hour later. By midnight nearly all of the college kids were gone, back to dorms or apartments to cram or sleep before classes the next day. Angel and Stephanie had most of the tables cleaned and had divided up the job of refilling the condiments and napkin holders. Angel was at one end of the bar filling the salt and pepper shakers, the neck of her t-shirt pulled up over her nose so the pepper wouldn't make her sneeze.

Stephanie was at the other end, filling the sugar jars. Ranger was refilling the beer cooler behind the bar and teasing Angel about looking good as a bandit, making Stephanie laugh and then curse because she spilled.

Angel put the last cap back on and moved to sit on the stool next to Stephanie, smiling as Ranger wiped up the spilled sugar with a wet bar towel. "So, how did you two meet?"

Steph shot a quick look at Ranger, but he didn't say anything. "Um, he helped me learn the ropes at my last job."

"You mean as a bounty hunter?"

Steph shot her a surprised look. "What?"Angel asked defensively. "Doc told me. He was listening to Bear and Ranger talking last night. Is it true? You were a bounty hunter?"

"Yes, but not like that guy on TV. I only did low bonds – shoplifting, indecent exposure, stuff like that. Ranger's company takes the dangerous ones."

She was saved from any more questions by a small group coming in. They were fresh from a concert at the Grenada and half-deaf, their chatter loud and excited. Angel went to get them settled and Stephanie started filling the napkin holders. They group wound down quickly, though, and they were gone an hour later. By closing time the bar was empty and nearly all the closing chores had already been done. It didn't take long to finish.

Bear tried to pay Ranger for his time but he waved it away. He even emptied the tips he'd collected into Angel's jar when she wasn't looking, not realizing Steph saw him until they were upstairs in her apartment and she had him on his back on the bed.

_Touchdown_ took on an entirely new meaning…

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC**_


	28. Ch28 Stolen Time

_Disclaimer: I wanted Ranger and the MM for Christmas, but evidently Santa didn't think I'd been good enough this year. :( __ (Okay, regular disclaimer same as in previous chapters!)_

_**A/N: I love Christmas but I'm glad it's over and quiet again…for a while at least. One of my New Year's resolutions is to finish this story and 'Subterfuge', and maybe I can even get 'Divine Madness' completed! But then what will I do?? **_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 28 – Stolen Time**_

Ranger woke as the first rays of sun tried to peek through the clouds. Steph had opened one of the blinds yesterday and they'd forgotten to close it before they went to bed. Easing Steph off his chest and onto her back he quietly got up and went to the window.

It was snowing. Not a lot, there was only a dusting on the ground and where the weak sun touched it was already melting -- but it was enough to remind him that time was passing. It was a reminder he didn't want. He lowered the blinds and twisted the rod to close them, shutting out the sun and the glitter of snowflakes, and he went back to bed.

As soon as he slid beneath the covers Stephanie turned to him, curling back against his chest. His arms settled around her and pulled her close, back where she belonged. He closed his eyes and turned his face into her hair, smiling when her short curls tickled his cheek.

He wanted to take her home so much he ached. But he couldn't, not yet. She wasn't ready and he knew her well enough to know it needed to be her decision, her choice. He intended to make it very clear that she was _wanted_ but he would not pressure her. The people she loved had pushed her for far too long. That was not a mistake he intended to make.

Reluctant to go back to sleep, Ranger just held Steph and let his mind drift. He calculated how much longer he might be able to stay. Already he'd been here longer than he'd planned, time he was stealing from his business to spend with the woman who'd stolen his heart. How was he going to tell her when he had to go? And how could he explain how eagerly he'd be waiting for her return without making her feel rushed? Too many questions, and the only thing that held any appeal was holding Steph.

When Stephanie began to stir he woke her with kisses and the promise of breakfast at the pancake house.

"Mmm… How about brunch a little later instead?" she countered, her voice still husky from sleep.

For a moment Ranger was shocked. When did Stephanie ever not want to eat? He shifted, propping up on his elbow to look into her face. Her cheeks were flushed. Were her eyes too bright? He brushed a kiss across her forehead to check for fever but she didn't seem too warm. "Do you feel okay, Babe? Aren't you hungry?"

"What I want right now isn't on their menu," she whispered – and then her hand closed around him. She grinned when he jumped, then made a sound like a purr as his body responded to her touch. Ranger let her pull him into position over her.

"Just what _are_ you in the mood for?" he asked as she manuvered their bodies where she wanted them. The feel of her skin sliding beneath his had his voice growing husky.

She sighed as he settled his weight carefully onto her and then curled her arms around him. "You. Just you."

Ranger smiled against her lips. "Babe."

Then he gave her what she wanted. Well, he tried.

He started with a slow kiss and the intention to turn the heat up gradually. This morning Steph wasn't willing to follow his lead, though. Even though she was beneath him she took control, deepening the kiss and sucking at his tongue as her fingers explored his body.

When he broke from her mouth to kiss down her neck, her hands slid down his back, nails scraping lightly against his spine. He tried to move lower and her fingers dug into his butt, holding him in place. Her teeth nipped at his neck when he raised his head, and her legs curled up and over his hips to lock him in place.

"Babe," he tried to protest, but she wiggled beneath him and he realized he was already poised at her entrance. She was warm … and so very _wet_. He gave up with a groan and thrust deep.

Stephanie gave a low groan of pleasure and tightened her grip on his ass.

He pulled back and slid in again, pushing deeper. She moaned and pushed up to meet his thrust. "Is this what you wanted, Babe?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

"Yesss," she answered. Her body undulated in couterpoint with his and her hands urged him to move again.

"Are you in a hurry this morning?" he persisted.

"Yess!"

"You want it faster?" Her body was already answering that but he wanted to make her say it. A smile was lurking behind those dark eyes. He had her number now.

"Yessss!"

He increased the speed of his thrusts slightly. She gave an annoyed growl and tried to ugre him on.

"Tell me what you want, Babe," he coaxed roughly. "What do you want?"

"Faster," she begged. "Faster."

He gave her exactly what she asked for but no more. She was breathing heavily, nearly gasping, and thrusting up against him.

"Harder!" she cried, "More!"

"You want hard and fast?"

"Yes! Please, yes!"

"Put your legs around me," he growled, "and hold on."

Steph locked her ankles at the back of his waist. He slid his arms beneath her and curled his fingers over her shoulders, bracing her, and began to thrust hard and fast, plunging deep into her wet heat. In moments he felt her tightening around him and then she was coming, over and over, arching herself against him and crying out. He didn't last much longer.

-oOo-

An hour later they were nearly ready to leave the apartment. They'd discussed plans for the day in their shared shower and decided to get a coffee and a quick sandwich on Mass Street then head out of town toward Kansas City – or rather Olathe, which Kansas City seemed to have swallowed. Bear had told them about a theater complex there that was surrounded by places to shop and eat.

They took Mass Street south past South Park to23rd Street, which turned into 10 Highway when it reached the eastern edge of town. The flat stretch of divided highway made the half-hour trip go quickly, and soon Steph was looking around as Ranger navigated the maze of four-to-eight-lane highways complete with construction that converged near their planned destination. Even Ranger seemed glad to have the assistance of the GPS unit in the SUV.

Near the theater was a large shopping center with multiple restuaraunts and stores. They decided to park in a central spot and walk. Ranger was happy to follow Stephanie through whichever stores caught her eye. By the time they were hungry most of the lunch-time crowds had thinned from the restuaraunts and they chose the Texas Roadhouse for steaks. Afterward, they walked to the theater complex – it had thrity screens – and chose a movie to watch.

On the way back to Lawrence after the movie they stopped just off the highway at a diner that seemed to be popular with truckers. A stout man at a neighboring table was finishing a large slice of pie when they seated themselves, and as he got up to leave he smiled at them, told them the pies were all made from scratch and said he highly recommened the cherry. .

Stephanie couldn't decide between cherry pie and something called an apple crumble, so they ordered one of each and shared. It was hard to say which of them was more surprised when Ranger ate his share of both desserts with pleasure.

They got back to Lawrence in time to stop in at the coffeehouse to listen to the last set of guitar music by the couple that lived over the furniture store. Stephanie was happy to see that Ranger did enjoy it.

The day had been fun but tiring, and they went to bed shortly after returning to Stephanie's apartment. They did lie awake talking for a while, until Stephanie got distracted by the way Ranger's skin stretched taunt across his chest…and it was a while after that they slept.

-oOo-

Wednesday morning the ring of Ranger's cell phone woke them, and Stephanie had the sinking feeling that their little idyll was about to end.

She was close.

"That was Tank," Ranger said as he dropped his phone back beside the bed. "He just had a call that a high-bond skip has been seen in Kansas City over the last few days."

"One of Vinnie's?" Steph asked, her forehead wrinkling slightly in confusion.

"No – someone the Feds want."

"Who called Tank? How would they even know to call RangeMan?"

Ranger chuckled and brushed a stray curl out of her eyelashes. "Over the years we've developed a wide network of eyes and ears. And it probably got passed through several levels before it got to Tank."

Stephanie turned to face him and sighed. "I guess you need to get back to work then." She gave him a small smile before he could say anything. "I've loved having you here, you know that, but I also know you can't leave your business hanging indefinately."

"No, I can't," he agreed softly, glad she was meeting his eyes and wasn't upset. "It has been interesting to spend this time with you here, seeing you in an entirely different setting. Being here has been good for you, I think. But I know you probably aren't ready to leave it."

She shook her head.

Ranger hesitated only slightly before asking the next question. "Do you think you will come back to Trenton someday? Or does it hold too many bad memories now?"

Stephanie's face softened and her hand reached up to cup his jaw. "The good memories outnumber the bad, Ranger. I'm not quite ready to face the 'Burg yet, but I _will_ come back."

Ranger turned his head and pressed a kiss into her palm, nearly sighing with relief. "I'm glad. You _know_ that I'll be waiting for you, don't you, Babe? However long it takes."

She looked a little stunned – hadn't she guessed by now? Her lips trembled slightly as she tried to smile at him. Then she said, softly, "I love you, Ranger."

His smile rivaled the sun. "I love you, too, Stephanie. I'm _in love_ with you. And I'll be waiting… no matter how long it takes."

The tears that spilled down her cheeks weren't entirely unexpected but he still felt like an ass for making her cry. He should have told her how he felt a long time ago, maybe then she'd have come to him instead of running away when things got to be too much. He'd wasted so much time. But no more.

He pulled her close and held her until the tears passed, then he kept holding her because he loved the feel of her in his arms. Only when she laughingly pulled away to answer Nature's call did he reluctantly let her go.

They cooked breakfast together in her tiny kitchenette, and talked as they ate.

"So what's going to happen with this wanted person?" she asked.

"Tank's going to send me background information and see what he can work out for surveillence, find out if there's anyone in the area that can narrow down a location for us. Then we'll see."

After breakfast Ranger retrieved his laptop from the SUV while Stephanie got some laundry started. He sat at the little table to read through the information Tank sent. Steph made hot peppermint tea and put a mug of it beside him, and he smiled up at her in thanks. She took her mug and turned the TV on low, finding a classic '80s movie to watch as she waited for her laundry to dry.

He was on the phone when she came back in with a basket of clean clothes. She didn't think it was Tank on the other end, either.

After that call Ranger put the computer aside and watched TV with her until it was nearly two. While she changed clothes for work Ranger sat on the twin bed and talked to her, asking if she'd mind if he came back up to the apartment to do some computer searches during her shift.

"Of course I don't mind," she said. "I don't expect you to hang out in the bar just because I'm working – although I have to admit, Monday night was fun! Do what you need to do." She went into the bathroom to apply a bit of makeup and when she came back out she had a thoughtful look on her face.

"If your, um, _person_ is from Kansas City, Bear might be able to tell you about certain areas of the city. And I think Owl is from there."

"Good ideas, Babe. I'll see what pops in the searches."

He went downstairs with her to talk to Bear and lend a hand with set-up, and chatted long enough with Owl to discover Stephanie was right. Owl was born and raised in KC and knew a great deal about the city.

When the bar opened and started getting busy he went back upstairs to work. He found a number of things he wanted to print and ended up taking his laptop downstairs and asking to use Bear's office printer. He talked to Owl a bit, managing to get a general idea where some of his fugitive's favorite places were located without Owl realizing he was being pumped for information.

But Bear realized something was going on.

Ranger was back down in the bar at last call and started helping with the closing chores. Bear caught him in the back room and didn't waste any time asking what was going on. Ranger explained briefly, knowing that with Bear's background he could be a valuable source of information.

Thursday passed all too fast. For the most part Ranger spent the time before the bar opened with Stephanie much as they had been. He got the occasional text from Tank updating him, and Stephanie knew there would be more information waiting when he opened his laptop. But he waited until after the bar was open and busy before he went back to 'work' too – downstairs this time. Bear let him use his office so he could print without having to run up and down stairs.

Of course, working downstairs meant Bear could be nosy. But that was balanced out by the benefit of more time spent with his Babe.

By Friday evening RangeMan had contacts in Kansas City tailing the fugitive and scouting the best locations for a take-down. Ranger was at the bar talking to Bear. When Steph came up to put in drink orders he pulled her a little closer to speak privately.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, studying his face.

He smiled at her in reassurance. "Things are proceeding well so far. Surveillence has the guy in sight, and in a couple days we should know where best to pin him down. Babe, would you be interested in doing a distraction for me?"

She stiffened. "You're not doing this alone, are you? The guys in KC, can you trust them to be your backup?"

"I can help," offered Bear. He'd been openly evesdropping. "And what's a 'distraction'?"

Steph went to deliver the drinks and left Ranger to explain that. She'd help, she knew she would, but before she got back to the bar the door opened and she had to do a double-take. Lester, in 'civilian' clothes, bounded into the bar followed closely by the huge form of Tank. Lester spotted her and swept her off her feet before she even managed to get her mouth closed.

"Beautiful, we've _missed_ you so _much_!! It's great to see you! And wow, you look good."

Tank pried her out of Lester's arms and gave her a hug, too, his white smile flashing. "Hey, Bombshell. Lula sends her love."

Stephanie looked over her shoulder to see Ranger grinning. He'd known they were coming and hadn't told her? She gave him a narrow-eyed look and he laughed.

They joined Ranger at the bar, where Tank and Lester greeted Bear as 'Navarre'. Somehow she wasn't surprised they all knew each other. Funny how she'd pegged Bear as military the day she'd interviewed but what were the chances? Small world.

They guys took over Ranger's end of the bar and Steph got bits and pieces as she passed. Evidently Woody and Hal would arrive tomorrow. They would all spend a day or two familiarizing themselves with the fugitive's stomping grounds and schedule, and hopefully be ready to take him down by Monday. They had no problem including Bear in their plans, and Stephanie formally agreed to be their bait.

Bear was looking forward to seeing the Jersey Devil in action for himself. He'd seen her in deal with unruly patrons at the bar; he'd read the newspaper articles, and he'd even managed to get Ranger to tell him about some of her jobs with him. It had impressed him but also made him even more curious. He went back to his grill reluctantly, already thinking about who he could get to work at the bar they night they'd be gone.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	29. Ch29 Catching Up

_Disclaimer: By now I hope you know which characters are mine and which belong to JE!_

_**A/N: Last chapter before the takedown – we're almost there!**_

-oOo-

_**Chapter 29 – **__**Catching Up**_

Early Saturday morning Ranger and the guys headed into Kansas City to do a little orienting and collect Woody and Hal from the airport. Bear had volunteered to go with them and act as a guide at least to get them started. He'd driven his own vehicle so he could come back to open the bar. Ranger rode with him, and Tank and Lester followed in their rented SUV.

Stephanie spent an hour looking over the file Ranger had put together, checking over their target's mug shots, surveillence photos and various other information. Once she had an idea of his personality, she hit the thrift stores and some of the shops on Mass Street to put together a distraction outfit that hopefully would tickle his fancy.

Luck was with her, and she found everything she wanted quickly enough to be back at her apartment by lunchtime. She indulged in a short nap before she got ready for work, and was coming down the stairs into the back room when Bear came in the back door.

"Cutting it kind of close, there, Bear," she teased him. "How did things go this morning? Did Hal and Woody get here okay?"

"Yeah. Did you really stun Hal with his own stun-gun?" he shot back with a grin as he pulled off his jacket.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, are they _still_ telling that story? They're never going to let Hal live that down."

Bear laughed as he tied back his hair and washed his hands. "Lunch was very illuminating. It seems like everyone had a Bombshell story."

He looked up to find she'd crossed her arms and was starting to frown, and couldn't help another chuckle. "Things blow up around you; guys get broken. Sounds like even Ranger couldn't keep a hold on you."

Her eyebrows went up. "He told you that?"

Bear laughed again. "No. He told Tank and Tank told Lester. Lester told me."

"That reminds me… How come you knew Tank and Lester? Did you know Ranger? You didn't seem to when he first got here."

"I didn't recognize him - not at first - and it took me a while to place him. It's been more than ten years, after all, and he's changed a lot. Actually it didn't click until I saw Tank and then I remembered the hotshot Army Ranger kid."

"Kid?!"

"Compared to most of us he was just a kid, and in command of his Ranger team, too. Hell, he was barely legal! But Tank was already his second-in-command."

He started prepping fruit and Stephanie went to get a clean apron. "Was Lester on his team? And Bobby?"

Bear frowned slightly. "I don't remember a Bobby. Lester was actually one of mine until the kid stole him."

"Wait -- you were a SEAL. So Lester was a SEAL? How could Ranger 'steal' Lester from your team if he was Army and you were Navy?"

Bear hesitated only briefly before telling her. "Shortly after our joint mission, the kid got a sideways promotion into black ops. He got to choose his own team, and when Lester got tapped he went. If I hadn't been ready to retire I'd have gone, too."

"Huh."

He let in sink in a moment before he spoke again. "And that was classified information, honey, so don't go telling anyone I told you. I don't want to get shot."

She shot him a dirty look and headed toward the front with a thoughtful look on her face.

-oOo-

Ranger and his men arrived back at the bar _en masse_ shortly before midnight, giving the die-hard college girls the thrill of new eye-candy. Lester and Woody were flirting as soon as they walked through the door. The group took over a table near the bar and Doc took over their huge grill order so Bear could come out and join them.

Evidently, Bear's presence with the group made them 'safe' in the regular's eyes. About twelve-thirty, the four flirty college girls got up to leave, waving at the boys. One of them blew a kiss to Hal as they went out the door. There were only gone a few minutes and they came back in, one of them going right up to the table.

Stephanie had to hide a smile when she overheard.

"Bear? Sorry to interrupt, but when we came in we had to park in the lot three blocks down…and now there's a streetlight out. Do you think one of your friends might be willing to walk us to our car?"

Steph wasn't sure how they all kept their faces straight; although she was pretty sure she saw the corner of Ranger's lips twitch. It wasn't surprising that Ranger shot a quick look across the table that quelled Lester before he could volunteer.

"I think we can loan you a bodyguard," Bear said after a glance around the table. "Which one would you like?"

The girl touched Hal's shoulder tentatively. "Would you mind?"

It was hard to say who was the most surprised. Big badass Hal was sweet about it, though, getting his coat back on and following the twittering girls out the door. He came back some twenty minutes later with a bemused grin, sporting several shades of lipgloss on his face.

By closing time they'd gone through nearly four pitchers of beer and countless orders of bar food, and had come up with a tenetive plan for a Tuesday takedown. Bear chased out the last lingering bar patron and the Merry Men headed to their hotel.

-oOo-

Stephanie woke just after ten on Sunday to Ranger answering his phone. When he saw she was awake he shot her a smile and handed her the phone. It was Lester.

"Hey, Beautiful! We're starving, and we wanted to see if you – and the boss, of course – wanted to go eat with us."

"Who's buying?" Steph asked, watching Ranger get up and stretch.

"We are," Lester said with a little mock outrage. "But only if you don't make us wait too long."

Ranger headed into the bathroom and Steph heard the water come on in the sink. She pushed herself into a sitting position. "Well, you'll have to give me a little bit of time to get dressed. You woke me up."

She heard a faint groan. "How long?"

"Oh, a half an hour at least."

"That's all? Seriously?" Lester sounded shocked. "Well, okay, we can handle that, no problem!"

"Come around the building, there's a little parking area in the back. We'll meet you there," she said, and hung up.

Ranger was shaving, so she hopped into the shower to rinse off and wet down her hair, which had still been wet when they went to bed earlier. She left the water running and stepped out; Ranger wrapped a towel around her and stepped in. She dried off, brushed her teeth and combed her hair, and headed to the closet to get dressed.

She'd accumulated a lot more clothes but the closet was still pretty sparse. The jeans she pulled on were one of the pairs she'd bought the day after the fire. She pulled on a long sleeved knit top in a pretty print, and her socks and sneakers. The wind was kicking up, rattling the windows, and she was glad she'd found a heavier jacket. It sounded like she'd need it.

Ranger was getting dressed, so she took a minute to put on a little eyeshadow and mascara and she was ready.

It occurred to her as they started down the stairs that she hadn't seen Ranger wear black since Halloween. Even today, he was dressed in a slate-blue t-shirt and jeans. Funny she hadn't noticed before.

She tried to walk quietly as they crossed the second floor so she wouldn't wake up Bear. Or should they wake him and ask if he wanted to come? The question was answered for her as they approached his apartment door. A sheet of paper was taped to it with bold marker lettering: "Don't even think about it! I'm sleeping in." She turned in time to see Ranger smirk.

They let themselves out the back door, Ranger locking up behind them with Stephanie's keys. True to their word, the guys were there waiting with the big rented SUV. It had the third-row seats but it was still a tight fit. Lester and Woody had somehow crammed themselves into the rear seats. Tank was driving, and Hal was in the second row, leaving the front seat for Ranger. Ranger opened the back door for Steph and shook his head at Lester and Woody. As he climbed into the front Stephanie heard him mutter to Tank, "I hope you brought a can opener."

The SUV was warm and smelled pleasantly of clean males. They were all wearing jeans of various hues Hal had on a deep red thermal shirt and a heavy gray zip-front hoodie. Woody was layered; a long sleeved blue t-shirt with a blue plaid flannel shirt over it, then a denim jacket on the outside. Lester had on a dark green turtleneck with a green and cream v-neck sweater over it. He was carrying a navy blue windbreaker, but apparently he hadn't needed it yet.

Tank wore a purple thermal shirt, and Stephanie smiled slightly, wondering if Lula had picked it out. It wasn't really a 'guy' color but it did look good on the big black man.

Ranger directed Tank to the IHOP, and they arrived early enough that the missed the brunt of the brunch crowd, so they had their pick of tables. They found a large round one in a back seating area that would seat them all with very little crowding. Their waitress brought out two pots of coffee and started taking orders for juice. Halfway though she gave up and brought out a tray of glasses and a huge pitcher of orange juice, and they guys decided they loved her.

Stephanie was sitting back and watching with a slight smile on her face. The waitress was probably in her early forties and slightly plump, but the table full of large handsome men didn't seem to put her off at all. In fact she gave back as good as she got from the time Lester started giving her a hard time when she took his order. She patted Lester's cheek and told him he needed to update his lines, teased Woody about his drawl, and brushed her hand over Hal's spiky crew-cut hair making him duck and blush. As she walked behind Tank she paused and measured the span of his shoulders with an awestruck look on her face, which had even Ranger chuckling. Then she came to Stephanie.

"Well, hello dear!" she exclaimed. "I nearly missed you, hiding here between these fellas. Where'd you find all these boys anyway?"

Steph was grinning. "I collect them. They're from all over. Nice, huh?"

"Oh, yeah. If you ever get tired of them you can just send them my way, honey!" she said with a grin. "I like a little variety."

She took Stephanie's order and then turned to Ranger. He recited his order and then smiled at her.

Stephanie was watching with interest, because when Ranger smiled women usually lost track of their hands and feet. This waitress looked a little dazed but managed to get his order down. When she went behind him, however, she caught Stephanie's eyes and mimed biting her knuckes, fanning herself with her order pad. Across the table Hal choked on his juice and Lester snickered and Stephanie's smile widened.

Ranger shot her a look, then leaned closer and warned softly, "Don't encourage them, Babe. They're bad enough already."

When their orders were ready it was delivered by a parade of waitresses. Stephanie suspected they'd offered to 'help' so they could get a closer look. Her guess was proved right when she overheard one of them whisper to another as they left, "Jez, Mary has all the luck. Look at those guys!"

After the food was gone and most of the dishes had been cleared away, Ranger went over the plan they'd come up with so far. Mainly it was for Stephanie's benefit, but it also gave them all a chance to look for potential problems.

"Our target, Anderson, seems to spend some time most nights at this bar called Mike's. It's a typical dive – two pool tables in back, a dart board to one side, jukebox filled with mostly country music. There's a hotel that caters to truckers just a block away, so there is a small crowd of regulars and a lot of transient customers. This may work in our favor because they're used to strangers coming and going."

Woody took over at Ranger's nod. "There's no public-accessible back door, not unless you get behind the bar. The bathroom windows are small and only open about six inches, so there's only the main door that's really an option. The only windows in the main bar are small and high up on the walls."

"The bar only does snacks and drinks, nothing cooked," Lester added, taking his turn. "When we were there, there was only a bartender and a big guy that I suppose was a bouncer. He sat in a chair by the door but I never saw him actually move."

Hal went next. "There are a few parallel parking spots at the curb in front, but the main parking area is a lot a block down. Our wires will reach that far, easy, even from inside the bar. Lester and I checked."

"Even the back room?" Ranger asked, and Hal and Lester both nodded but neither of them elaborated on how they'd accomplished that. Stephanie was curious, but not curious enough to interrupt the flow.

"Anderson has been known to carry," Ranger took it up again. "Shoulder holster, small of the back, or belly are his carry preferences. Not a blade man. Considers himself a Southern gentleman but he's got a hot temper and can turn violent, so if things go sour we need to get Steph out quick."

"Is there any way to find out if he's carrying?" Hal asked. "Have the tails seen anything?"

Ranger shook his head. "So far, no one has gotten close enough to get a glimpse, so we don't know for sure – at least, not yet."

Stephanie spoke up in a quiet voice. "I might be able to help with that." When all eyes turned to her she gave them a small smile. "I can do the stumble and grab thing, see if I can feel a shoulder rig or a belly gun. If nothing else I can eliminate a couple of possibilities."

Ranger gave her a thoughtful look and a nod. "Good idea," he said. "that could work out pretty well."

The place was starting to get busy, so they dropped the subject. A few minutes later Mary came back with their ticket, a long strip of register tape looped loosely in her hand.

"Okay, boys, who gets the bill?" she asked.

As if they'd practiced it, the Merry Men all pointed to Stephanie.

Mary fisted her hands on her hips and glared. "I don't think so," she said in an unmistakable 'mom' voice, and the whole table cracked up.

"I'll take it, Mary, and thanks," Ranger said with a smile, half-standing to take it from her. She walked away a few steps to the doorway between dining areas, and as soon as Ranger looked down at the bill, Mary caught Stephanie's eye and gave her a big thumbs-up. Ranger caught Stephanie's return gesture out of the corner of his eye and looked up to find her grinning.

"What, Babe?" he asked.

Stephanie cleared her throat slightly. "Actually, Lester told me this morning on the phone that _they_ were going to buy. You should make them pay."

Ranger's lips curled into an evil smile. "Oh, they'll pay…"

Lester said "Uh, oh," and Tank started laughing. Heads turned at the booming sound and there were a lot of smiles. Even more when Lester was overheard complaining about Steph telling on him.

Ranger herded them all out, stopping to pay the ticket at the register. Mary came to ring up the huge bill, but Ranger's smile stayed in place as he added a tip and signed the card receipt. Mary smiled back as she took the slip, and took the hand Ranger offered without hesitation.

"Thank you for an excellent breakfast, Mary," he said. Then he slipped out the door leaving a very surprised Mary with a hundred dollar bill in her hand.

The guys were still standing by the SUV. The doors were open and Tank had the engine running. Evidently Lester and Woody were trying to figure out how to cram themselves back into their seats with full bellies.

"Guys!" Steph raised her voice, laughing, to get their attention. "How about you let me sit back there, since I'm a lot smaller."

"Let her," Ranger broke in before they could argue. "Hal's bigger than I am, so he can take the front seat. The three of us should fit in the second seat fairly well."

Stephanie scrambled into the back. Ranger slid off his jacket as Lester climbed in, and Stephanie offered to take it. She took Woody's jacket, too. By the time Ranger got in and closed the door, she'd arranged the jackets into a pillow and turned sideways in her seatbelt. She was asleep before they even reached the street.

Lester and Woody were smiling over their shoulders at the sleeping woman.

"Don't even start," Ranger warned when they turned smirky grins on him. He intended to sound more threatening but he was still smiling at how she'd managed to get a seat to herself. His men didn't tease – but they both chuckled.

On the way back he directed Tank on a scenic mini-tour of Lawrence, taking them by the colleges, the river park, and down the street where many historic houses stood. As they drove down Mass Street Stephanie woke up, and Ranger told the guys about the deli that sold fried pickles. They groaned a lot at the idea, but he was pretty sure they'd find time to try them.

Back at Babe's they parked in front, and Steph led them up the front stairs directly to her apartment. The big men made her apartment feel a lot smaller, but there was plenty of space for them all. She told them there were soft drinks and tea in the fridge, showed them where the glasses were, and told them to help themselves.

Ranger made a call to check in with the men watching Anderson in Kansas City. They had agreed to keep tabs on him until Tuesday. Ranger said he'd let them know when they were set up for the takedown, and made arrangements for turning him over. When he got off the phone, Stephanie turned on the TV and made Lester and Hal flip for the remote. Then she stretched out on the air mattress, propped up on her pillow, and listened to them argue over what to watch.

They settled on a football game, but after they caught up with who was playing their attention turned back to her.

"So, Steph, would you tell us about your road trip?" Lester asked. "And where the hell you learned the trick with the phones?"

Stephanie grinned at that. "You found the phones?"

"We found one – which did us no good because you'd blocked caller ID to it, too, and we couldn't leapfrog back to trace it."

Her grin grew. Before she could say anything, though, Ranger interrupted.

"Start from the beginning, Babe." He sat cross-legged on the floor and leaned against the end of the twin bed frame. "We all would like to hear the whole story."

There was a couple of minutes of shifting as they all made themselves comfortable. Lester moved to the sofa with Hal so Tank could have the recliner, and Woody brought over a chair from the kitchen. Then they gave her their attention.

She sat up and crossed her legs, seeming to be at a loss for words.

"It's okay," Ranger reassured her softly.

Woody spoke up, too. "Steph, you disappeared like a pro and we know you aren't a spook. We'd just really like to hear how you did it."

The 'spook' comment made her snicker, but it also seemed to help remind her these men were all her friends. She took a deep breath and started in.

Even though they listened intently for the most part, there were several interruptions. Like, why the bus? TV ad for the 30-day pass. How did she find the outlet in the ceiling? She told them about standing on the chair and losing her balance, and how the outlet bugged her.

She couldn't tell them where all she'd gone, because she'd taken care NOT to pay attention to where she was. Ranger got up and got the map from the file in his laptop case and gave it to her. She studied the zig-zag lines for a moment and then sighed.

"Man, no wonder I had bus-butt," she muttered, and Ranger laughed. She looked up at him with a grin, tapping the map. "Who figured this out?"

Ranger looked up, but all his men were busy examining the ceiling, floor, or their fingernails. "No one would admit to it because I'd called off the search. I suspect it was a group effort. But I could probably guess who the ringleader was." He gave Steph a raised eyebrow and a faint nod toward Santos, who was studiously ignoring them. She mouthed "Les?" and he nodded again. She grinned.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Ranger opened it, since he was up. Bear stood in the doorway.

"Is this a private party, or can anybody crash?" he asked jokingly.

Steph had started to get up, shooting a look at the clock. "Am I late, Bear?" she asked. He waved her back down.

"No, but it looks like you can have tonight off, too. Angel's downstairs already."

"But she's supposed to be off tonight," she frowned.

Bear chuckled. "She says she didn't want to miss anything. Hell, they're all here, even Rabbit! So I figured I'd take a little break and see what was going on."

He came on inside, carrying a big bucket full of bottled pop which he set on the kitchen counter. He carried the other chair over next to Woody and parked himself on it. Tank asked him who Rabbit was, and then he had to explain all the nicknames. Stephanie promised to introduce them all a little later – they decided they should spend at least a little time in the bar since the others came to work to see them.

The subject of Stephanie's disappearing act came up again, and Bear admitted to prying some of it out of her, but not the whole story. He urged her to continue, and someone could fill him in on the beginning later.

So Steph picked up were she left off, about getting off the bus in Lawrence and going for a walk after she ate, and finding the bar. She grinned at Bear when she told about him demanding her ID, and about overhearing Angel asking him about the job applicants.

Bear took over the story then, telling about her interview and her unusual requests, and what little she'd told him. How well her first night had gone, and how they'd worked out the apartment as part of her pay.

He didn't stop there, either. He gave highlights of the summer and then told about their brainstorming for the bar's Halloween party.

"We were at full capacity all night long," he said with a grin. "And that was with a lot of people coming and going. I think half the town came in to try the drinks. And to see what costume the Jersey Devil chose. Oh, I almost forgot…" He shifted a pulled an envelope of printed pictures from his hip pocket. "I brought you copies of the pictures. Jesse brought me three full sets."

Woody snatched them neatly from Bear's hand and moved the coffee table out to give him room between the sofa and the recliner. He started laying the photos out like tiles, the Merry Men all leaning forward to look. Bear laughed and pulled his chair closer so he could tell them who the people were.

Steph saw they were in order by time, and she made a break for the bathroom and then fixed herself a drink. Ranger came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, speaking softly into her ear.

"I know I haven't said much about it, but I hope you know how incredible it was that you managed to disappear so completely. Even when I was so mad I couldn't see straight, Steph, I was proud of you."

Stephanie tried to turn but his arms tightened, holding her in place. He spoke again, this time in a ragged whisper. "Please don't ever run from me again, Babe. Please."

He let her turn then, and her arms went around his neck. "I promise," she whispered, and he kissed her, his arms holding her tight. He kept it short, though, breaking the kiss but keeping her securely in his arms.

They were still standing that way a few minutes later when they heard Bear say, "And just after midnight I heard a glass break, and I looked over to see this strange man in black had just appeared out of nowhere at the bar…"

From the chorus of 'ooohs' that rose as Woody put down the next photo, Stephanie guessed that Jesse had caught her kissing Zorro Ranger. She hid her face in Ranger's chest, grinning as she felt him chuckle. Sure enough, a moment later the teasing began.

-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	30. Ch 30 Countdown To Takedown

_**Disclaimer: See previous chapters**__**.**_

_A/N: Looong chapter this time…__and I snuck in Alf's dare. I hope you like it – let me know!_

**-oOo-****oOo-oOo-**

_**Chapter 30 – Countdown To Takedown**_

Everyone but Stephanie was in and out all day Monday. The guys took turns going to Kansas City in pairs to skulk around or do whatever it was they did. Ranger and Bear went first so that Bear would be back in time to open. Once again all the bar employees showed up but Steph decided to work her usual shift. She needed the routine. Ranger went back to KC in the late evening with Lester and Hal to hang out in the bar, watch, and listen. Woody and Tank kept things lively at Bear's.

Stephanie had already gone to bed when Ranger came in. She wasn't quite asleep, and asked drowsily if everything had gone okay.

He came over and knelt down beside the mattress. "Everything was fine, Babe. I'm sorry we came back so late."

"S'kay," she murmured.

He smiled in the darkness. "I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll come to bed, okay?"

"'Kay."

When he slipped in beside her less than ten minutes later she was already completely out. But she shifted closer to him even in her sleep.

-oOo-

Tuesday morning was clear and cold. Stephanie slept until nearly eleven and found Ranger was already up and gone from the apartment. He'd left a note on the table saying he was downstairs with the guys. She pulled on some clothes and went to see what they were doing.

Bear had pulled the black curtains across the bar windows, and they were congregated in the front where they could all sit comfortably. Steph could smell hot oil and realized Bear had started the grill heating, so he must be planning to cook lunch for them. She decided she would eat lunch for breakfast.

As soon as she got close Ranger reached for her, curling his fingers around hers and tugging her close. She leaned against his shoulder and listened for a few minutes. Evidently the Merry Men were trying to decide who got to be inside and who would wait outside to take charge of Anderson when Steph brought him out. Bear was listening avidly, a faint smile permanently in place. He seemed to be having fun.

"Question," Steph interrupted when there was a lull. "The bar only has one accessible door, right?" She waited for Ranger's nod before she continued. "So, if you've arranged for Ranger to be the bartender and Tank to be the bouncer, do we really need anyone outside?"

"There's very little street parking, Babe. We need someone in the vehicle ready to come to the curb as quickly as possible."

Hal spoke up hesitantly. "I can stay with the SUV. Uh, you know I have a hard time not reacting to what Stephanie does during distractions – it might be better if I'm not in the bar. You can call me on the earpiece when you want me to move up."

Ranger looked thoughtful and nodded. Steph shot Hal a smile.

"So, everyone else can be inside if they want, right?" she asked.

"That will make five of us inside. You don't think that will look odd?" Ranger asked the table in general.

Bear shook his head. "I don't think so. The bar has a lot of transient traffic, and from what the bartender told me, they go through a lot of employees. He's only been there a few months and he doesn't work every night. With you and Tank being employees, that leaves only three new customers. I don't see that as a problem."

"If you're worried, they could always act like they're travelling together. Be like bandmembers, or weekend warriors, or construction workers. There are lots of crew-type jobs that men might travel together for, " Steph added.

Hal said, "No offense, Steph, but Woody, Lester, and Bear don't look like they belong together – at all. And three men, together or separate, aren't going to raise much interest in a transient bar."

There were a few other sounds of agreement, and Steph conceeded the point. "Okay, now that you've settled that – what are we going to eat?"

The 'meeting' broke up with general laughter, and Bear headed for the kitchen. Woody and Lester went to fetch ingredients from the cooler. Hal went behind the bar to make coffee in the pot there. Steph wasn't sure where Tank went.

Ranger pulled Steph into his lap and hugged her close for a moment. When he loosened his hold and let her sit back, he had a thoughtful look on his face.

"What are you thinking now, el Zorro?"

He half-laughed, flashing his smile. "What Hal said. That Woody, Lester, and Bear don't look like they belong together anywhere."

She tilted her head, thinking. Woody was tall, sandy-haired, and talked and smiled slow in true Texas style. Lester was dark and flirty and urbane. Bear – well, he looked a lot like an artist's vision of an Indian Chief in his prime. They did look like they were from three different worlds.

"Well, they all fit right in at RangeMan. All of your men do."

-oOo-

After the brunch mess was cleaned up, Owl arrived to take care of doing the bar setup, and everyone dispursed to get ready.

Ranger went upstairs with Steph. She locked him out of the bathroom, though, so while she shaved and showered and pampered herself, he called and checked in with the men tailing Anderson. By the time she emerged from the bathroom in a towel he'd made himself comfortable on the twin bed to watch her get ready.

She looked at him for a minute, grinning, then she dropped her towel and strolled into the closet naked. Ranger groaned. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea.

When she came back out she had on hot-pink stretch lace bikini panties and a matching lace and satin bra. The rest of her clothes were in her hands. She laid them over the back of a chair and went back into the bathroom, and Ranger caught the scent of perfume. It seemed like she was in there a long time.

He glanced down, realized his hard-on was plainly visible, and shifted his position. And waited.

Stephanie strolled back out still in her underwear, but now she was wearing makeup that emphasized her eyes and mouth. Her eyes looked huge, and her mouth looked swollen and kissable. Her hair was nearly dry, finger-styled into touseled curls. Little dangly chains swung from her ears and brushed against the sides of her neck.

She took a denim skirt from the pile on the chair, unzipped it, and stepped into it, pulling it up her legs and wiggling it slowly over her butt. The skirt hit mid-thigh as she zipped it up, flaring out around the hem. Ranger was thinking it was a little tame as distraction wear until she dropped the next item and bent over to pick it up. The skirt hiked up in back enough to expose pink lace, the lower part of Steph's butt cheeks, and the shadowy cleft between.

Ranger made a funny little noise and Steph looked over her shoulder at him with a grin.

"Think that'll be enough to get Anderson's attention?" she asked.

"Unless he's dead," he assured her huskily. "Don't do that within his reach, okay? I'm not supposed to kill him."

She made a 'tisk, tisk' noise with her tongue and turned back to pull the electric-blue sweater over her head and tug it into place. It seemed to be a little short, but it was plenty wide, with big sleeves that fit tight only around her wrists. The knit was the open kind that let her skin and the hot-pink bra peek through. When she turned around the deep v-neck came down nearly to the clasp of the plunge-front bra. And if that wasn't bad enough, the neckline seemed to be too big and kept slipping off one shoulder.

Ranger sat up. "Jesus, Babe," he complained softly.

Steph stepped into denim heels with an ankle buckle, then turned the chair around and put one foot on the seat to buckle it. Ranger got a glimpse of pink lace beneath her skirt, and her sweater fell loose so that he got a clear view of the tops of her breasts.

She looked up from buckling the second shoe in time to catch Ranger half-standing, trying to adjust himself.

"That looks a little painful, Ranger," she said with a smirk as she walked towards him. "Want me to take care of it for you?"

Ranger's only response was a hitch in his breathing as her hand brushed the front of his jeans but Stephanie laughed, a devilish look in her eyes.

She grabbed a pillow from the bed and dropped it between Ranger's feet. "Come on, lean back – and keep your hands on the bed, we don't have time for me to re-do." Sliding his zipper pull down, she dropped to her knees on the pillow. "Relax. This will only take a few minutes…."

An inarticulate noise escaped his throat as Steph released him from his jeans. One slim hand grasped him and he watched her nearly hot-pink lips slowly close over the head before he had to close his eyes. His hands fisted tightly on the edge of the mattress, and his head fell back.

Then she sucked him deeper and he gasped, "Fuck…maybe less."

Several long, pleasurable minutes later Stephanie got to her feet and looked down with satisfaction at a boneless, panting Ranger half sprawled on the bed. She licked her lips, smiled, and headed for the fridge.

Ranger turned his head, eyes barely open, and watched her open a bottle of cold water and take a drink. Then she made a little movement that squeezed her thighs together and he knew she was wet. He felt himself twitch, and groaned.

As if on cue, someone pounded on the door.

"Steph? It's about time to leave. Are you ready yet?" Bear's voice came through the door clearly.

Ranger swore under his breath and Steph laughed softly. "Just a minute, Bear," she called. As Ranger straightened his clothes, she slipped on her jacket and picked up her purse, and they left to follow Bear down the stairs.

-oOo-

Twenty minutes into the forty-five minute drive, Ranger cleared his throat. Stephanie looked over at him curiously. He almost never talked in the car on the way to a job.

Ranger's eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror, as if making sure the other two SUVs were following.

"You didn't have to do that," he said gruffly.

He didn't take his eyes off the road but she smiled at him anyway. "I know. That's what made it more fun." She reached across the seat and squeezed his thigh, then let her hand slide to the seat.

His hand captured hers, threading their fingers together. Wordlessly, he lifted it and kissed the back of her hand, then returned their joined hands to the seat between them and left them there.

-oOo-

The three SUVs pulled into an empty lot several blocks from the bar and everyone piled out. Tank passed out the tiny earpieces, new ones from the last Stephanie had seen. These were small enough that they fit inside the ear like the tiny kind of hearing aids; barely visible at all. A brief sound check was made. Just to be sure his earpiece wasn't spotted Ranger took out his hair tie and left his hair loose.

For once Stephanie wouldn't be wearing a wire because there would be plenty of eyes inside. Although, as a precaution, she did have a panic button tucked into the tiny pocket of her skirt. Once everyone was ready, Stephanie got into Ranger's rented SUV with Hal and the others loaded back into the other two vehicles to head on to the bar. Hal and Stephanie would wait in the lot a block away for their cue for Steph to go in.

Hal was quiet. As usual. They parked with the other vehicles and settled down to watch and wait. Lester went in first and give the all-clear. Then Tank and Ranger went around to the back storage room door and switched places with the bartender and bouncer, who had agreed to sit things out in the back room until Anderson was under wraps. After a little while first Bear and then Woody made their ways inside.

Steph was in her own version of a Zen state when Hal cleared his throat slightly. She looked over at him to see him shifting in his seat.

"What's wrong, Hal?" she asked. Since she didn't have an earpiece, she was counting on him to keep her updated if anything went sour.

"Nothing is wrong, Stephanie. It's just, um – you might want to fix your lipstick before you go in."

She frowned and turned the visor down. Hal helpfully reached over and found the little switch for the vanity light around the small strip of mirror.

"What in the-- This is supposed to be eight-hour lipstick! And half of it is gone!"

Hal gave her a little shrug when she looked at him. Sighing, she opened her purse, glad she'd tucked the little tube inside. She hadn't thought she'd need it. She carefully re-colored her lips, completely oblivious to Hal watching her every move.

Not long after she'd put the lipstick away, Hal gave her a nod. Anderson had come in. She was on.

-oOo-

Tank was sitting in a chair just inside the door when Stephanie walked in. He gave her a tiny nod. She gave him a vacant smile. Anderson's profile suggested he considered himself a ladies' man and a gentleman; he liked to feel needed. He seemed to go for sweet bimbos, so that was what she'd be tonight.

Without seeming to, she located each of the men and mentally counted them off. Ranger was behind the bar; Bear was sitting on a stool near the far end of the bar; Lester was kicked back in a booth on the side wall; and Woody was at a table in the back near the pool tables. She followed Ranger's eyes to Anderson. He was playing pool by himself.

From his seat at the bar Bear half-turned to watch, leaning on one propped hand where he could have a good view without being obvious.

Steph headed toward the back of the bar, then paused and looked around as if searching for something. She chose the perfect instant to lean down across the pool table from Anderson, leaning low to avoid the low-hanging pool light, and ask where the restrooms were. The cleavage view he got had him fumbling his pool cue, knocking the cue ball off the table. Steph apologized prettily for distracting him and went to pick up the ball, flashing her pink lace undies as she bent to pick it up. She placed the ball back on the table then went to the bathroom.

She wasn't gone long, but when she came out she met up with the target back up at the bar. His preview of her charms already had him hooked. When she smiled shyly back at him he invited her to sit next to him.

Ranger took Bear a bowl of peanuts and murmured to him quietly. "Watch close, but try not to react." Bear wondered what he meant by that. It didn't take long for him to find out because Stephanie went into action.

Smiling at Anderson cheerfully, Steph started to climb onto the barstool next to him. The barstools were free-standing with swiveling tops; Steph got one butt cheek on the stool then it swivelled, throwing her off-balance. She threw her arm out for balance, grabbing Anderson's jacket and nearly yanking him off his barstool. With the jacket pulled back Ranger had a clear view and could tell the man wasn't wearing any sort of shoulder holster. One possible gun location down.

Anderson managed to regain his balance and keep Steph from falling.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," Steph gasped out. "I don't know what happened! Oh, these seats swivel; no wonder. You have really good reflexes to catch me like that. I would have been so embarassed."

The man smiled at her nervous babble. "That's okay. I'm just glad you didn't fall. Let me buy you a drink. What would you like?"

"A beer please," she said. "I'm Rachel."

"Andy Anderson," he replied. He caught Ranger's eye. "Two beers, please."

"Draft or bottle?" he asked dutifully. "We've got Bud on tap."

Anderson looked at Steph.

"Draft, please," she said, and Anderson nodded. Ranger moved away to draw two beers, then set them on bar napkins on the scarred wood in front of them before stepping down to check with a real bar customer.

"Actually," Steph began, reaching for her purse. "Since you saved me from falling, let me buy the first beers." As she popped the clasp open she fumbled the bag and it flipped out of her hands. She and Anderson both made a grab for it and somehow cracked their heads together hard, Stephanie's forhead against his temple. Anderson's eyes nearly crossed and behind him Bear couldn't keep from wincing.

Anderson's hand caught Steph's arm and he slid carefully off his stool. "You sit tight, Rachel, and I'll get your purse." He bent and picked up the bag but of course it had spilled out everywhere. Feeling around he picked up her compact, a brush, two shiny gold foil-wrapped condoms, a small glittery wallet, and a lipstick.

Stephanie had put a hand up to rub gingerly at her forehead. Just as Anderson started to stand up, she somehow managed to bring her arm down, catching him another stout blow with the point of her elbow in nearly the same spot over his ear. This time he staggared, dropping the purse again, obviously seeing double.

Immediately Steph jumped off her stool and overbalanced, shoving Anderson backwards against his barstool as she tried to 'help' him, her hands grabbing at his waist in an attempt to support him. She kept a grip on him as she helped him turn around and get back on his stool.

Ranger gave a miniscule head-shake of disbelief. She had just managed to frisk his entire waist – front, back, and sides. Steph looked up and caught his eye and gave him a tiny head shake of her own. No gun at his waist, either.

"Bartender?" Stephanie called out. "I'm afraid I knocked over my friend's beer. We need a new one. And I'm paying."

Ranger moved to get another beer mug and his eyes flicked to check on his men.

Bear was leaning on his hand, his fingers covering his mouth but his eyes were crinkled at the corners. Lester had developed a sudden interest in the small menu of drink specials on his table. His face was hidden but his shoulder was shaking slightly. Woody had his cell phone out and was pretending to be laughing at a conversation. Even Tank seemed to have lost control of his blank face.

Ranger placed the fresh beer on the bar in front of Anderson and used a bar towel to mop up the spill.

Stephanie's eyes met his as he put a few paper napkins on the bar, too. His face was impassive but his eyes were dancing, and she gave him a quick, faint smile before she turned back to Anderson.

She wasn't done.

She fussed around the man, patting his knee and asking him if he was okay. Then she pushed her barstool back and with exaggerated care picked her things up from the floor. In the process she managed to flash her hot-pink panties again and give him another peek down her neckline to keep his interest.

Once she settled back onto her stool, things seemed to settle down just a bit. She sipped her beer and listened to the line the semi-recovered man spun. His eyes occasionally tried to cross, and he kept getting distracted by her slipping sweater. Then he told a joke and Steph laughed with beer in her mouth, managing to spray it nearly perfectly across the crotch of his jeans. Of course she immediately started to apologise, grabbing napkins and blotting at the wet denim, feeling him up. She found no gun. But he got turned on.

"I am such a klutz," Stephanie babbled. "I should have just stayed home. Nothing ever goes right for me on days like today. I'm really sorry, Andy. I think I'm just going to go…"

"Rachel, honey, it's okay. It's just a little beer," he said, trying to reassure her, and half-stood from his seat. Steph sprang off her stool again and this time caught her heel. Anderson grabbed for her and they both hit the floor together. Stephanie ended up on top with her elbow in his gut. Her hipbone had caught him right between his legs.

Anderson's eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he couldn't quite seem to get his breath. Steph scrambled off him, again apologising profusely, and tried to pull him to his feet.

Lester had tears running down his face, and Woody had his head down on his table. Tank and Bear were openly snickering and even Ranger was grinning.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Here, let me help you…" Steph kept up a steady stream of rapid-fire words in a voice that quavered as if she was upset, but Ranger suspected it was at least half laughter.

"I think we need some help," she began, looking toward Tank who was getting up from his chair.

"Need…some…air," Anderson managed to gasp.

Tank tried to pull the man up but he was too wobbly, and he wasn't that much smaller than Tank. Lester wiped his eyes and most of the laughter from his face and came to help.

As his men walked him slowly to the door, Ranger flipped open his phone and called the number he'd been given to set up the turnover.

They had been close. By the time Ranger followed Tank and Lester out the door, a black panel van was waiting in the street. Ranger's SUV was at the curb and Hal was standing next to it, watching.

A man with an FBI windbreaker came to meet Ranger on the sidewalk.

"You Manoso?" he asked.

Ranger nodded. "Here's your man, delivered as promised. He had no guns. No one was hurt but he did get the wind knocked out of him."

The FBI man shook his head. "What did you do to him?"

This got a rare Ranger half-smile. "None of my men touched him except to help him walk out."

"Somebody stun him?"

He chuckled. "In a manner of speaking…"

The paperwork was signed and Anderson was loaded into the back of the FBI van, still dazed enough that he didn't seem to realize where he was going. The FBI men took off and Ranger and his people went back inside the bar.

Bear and Steph had joined Woody at his table. The real bartender and bouncer had come out to watch the unusual sight of a customer being taken away by the FBI. Ranger stopped at the bar to thank the two men for their cooperation and gave them the promised cash. Then he took the chair next to Steph and the rest of his men followed.

Lester gave Stephanie a one-armed hug from behind, still chuckling. "Beautiful, I haven't had that much fun in a looong time. Damn, where'd you learn that elbow move?"

Bear started laughing. "I thought she learned it from you guys! I've seen her do that dozens of times to rowdy guys at my bar – and they never seem to realize it wasn't really an accident!"

Ranger bought a round of drinks; beer for the guys and a margarita for Stephanie, and a plain soda and lime for himself. There was a lot of laughter as everyone talked about the way Stephanie had managed to beat up the oblivous man with his complete cooperation, but she drew the line when they started to talk about some of her other distractions and takedowns.

"That's enough, I know you guys already filled Bear's ears at lunch the other day! Talk about something else!"

A couple of teasing protests were made, but the topic switched to football and continued without much of a pause. Another round was ordered, with the men driving switching to non-alcoholic drinks without being reminded. But it wasn't too long before Stephanie looked sleepy.

Woody and Hal had excused themselves to the bathroom, then so did Stephanie. Ranger decided it might not be a bad idea because it was a fairly lengthy drive.

Hal was coming out as Ranger went in, and Woody was at the other urinal. Ranger went about his business. But when he looked down before he tucked and zipped he froze, just for an instant.

Any doubt he had about whether Woody had caught a glimpse was erased when he got back to the suspiciously quiet table. Stephanie was still gone, and Tank turned to him with a huge grin and asked,

"You've got lipstick _where_?"

**-oOo-**

_**TBC…**_


	31. Ch31 Afterglow

_**Disclaimer: Same as for previous chapters.**_

_A/N: Long wait – sorry – and this is kind of a short chapter. But I'm trying to make some headway, and I figure a little is better than nothing._

_Thanks to all of you who have been adding this story to your alert list, and especially to those who have reviewed. It kind of prompted my muse to get moving. Finally!_

-oOo-

_**Chapter 31 – Afterglow**_

"_You've got lipstick where?"_

Ranger's eyes cut to Woody, who immediately paled.

"I wasn't looking, I swear! Its just…it's _hot pink_, man! Kind of hard to miss," he trailed off.

One corner of Ranger's mouth twitched and all the men relaxed slightly. Tank chuckled softly, and Lester started to open his mouth. Ranger raised one hand. "Save it. Don't embarrass Stephanie," he ordered, and there was a collective nod.

Only a moment later Stephanie came out of the bathroom and walked back up to the table. She was frowning slightly and when she got closer they could hear her grumbling. "I'm never buying this brand of lipstick again," she was saying. She showed the tip of her little finger to Ranger. "I get it on my finger and the damn stuff won't wash off with soap, but it won't _stay_ on my lips."

It took only a moment for Stephanie to realize that nearly all of their blank faces went on and someone choked. It was Hal. When she looked at him he glanced away but his eyes flicked to Ranger's belt and his cheeks went crimson.

A split second later it clicked, and Steph's hand flew up to cover her mouth as her eyes went wide.

Ranger decided it was time to leave, turning her with one arm around her shoulders and heading for the door. He was pretty sure her stunned silence wouldn't last. He just wanted out of the bar and away from his men first.

They made it outside.

"Oh my god!" Stephanie groaned. "Please tell me I didn't leave lipstick on you!" She went on with barely a pause, "I wondered why it didn't even last the car trip up here…it must have still been wet when I-- um-- How did the guys find out, anyway?" One hand covered her eyes; "Nevermind, I don't think I want to know."

She kept her hand over her eyes. Ranger chuckled, beeped his rented SUV open, and just picked her up and put her inside. She was still sitting there with her eyes covered when he climbed in the other side and started the engine, then she sighed and reached for her seatbelt.

Ranger pulled away from the curb and drove away from the bar slowly. "Woody was in the bathroom at the same time. Evidently," he said with his lips curling into a faint smile, "the pink is bright enough that he caught it in his peripheral vision."

After a moment of silence Steph spoke again. "Are they going to tease me about it?"

Ranger chuckled, his white grin flashing. "I don't think so – but I think I'm going to be hearing about it for quite some time."

"I'm sorry."

He pulled into the deserted parking lot of a bank and put the SUV in park. "I'm not." He reached for her, kissing her, and a moment later she released her seat belt so she could get closer. When their lips finally parted, hers were smiling.

"I want to see," she whispered against his jaw.

Above her head his face registered surprise, then he chuckled. "Can you wait until we get back to your apartment?"

"No. I want to see now!"

"It's too dark. And I'm not turning the light on--"

"I've got one of those little LED lights on my keychain. Please?"

Shit. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. Scanning the area quickly, he turned off the headlights, took off his seatbelt, and shoved his seat back. She had her little keychain light in hand and was watching avidly, with the result that by the time he got his fly unzipped he was more than half hard. Then she reached to help free him and there was nothing _half_ about it.

In the bright blue light of the single LED the lipstick ringing his penis looked like hot pink glitter. Ranger groaned, and Stephanie giggled.

Giggled?

"Um, I don't think it's going to fit back in there like that," she teased, running a fingertip down his hard length. And found herself hauled into Ranger's lap.

"Since you think it's funny, you can help me with this problem," Ranger said in a fake stern voice. "I think you have just what I need." In moments he'd found her wet, pulled aside the soft lace and slid inside her. One hand on the small of her back kept her still, pulled tight against him.

The sweater might as well have not been there at all. He reached beneath it to tug down the cups of her bra, freeing her breasts, and he bent his head to explore through the loose knit. He teased, nibbled, then finally sucked her nipples through the sweater, all the while holding her still. She gasped. Wiggled. Moaned long and low.

Stephanie fisted her hands in Ranger's hair and dragged his mouth up to hers, kissing him with desperate demand. Finally he let her move. So she did…slowly.

She swivelled her hips, settling him deeper, and gentled her kiss until she was barely brushing her lips against his. When he took a deep, shaky breath she smiled.

"If I tell you that knowing my lipstick was on you all this time turns me on, does that make me sound bad?" she whispered against his mouth.

"Not to me," he murmured.

Stephanie gently bit at his lips as she moved on him again. "How about if I like knowing it's still there, right now, where you're deep inside me?"

"Stephanie," he growled, but she felt his reaction.

She was so close she could barely speak but she made the effort. "And I want to do it again on purpose--"

He snapped, his arms pulling her tighter as he ground himself deeper, his fierce kiss catching her cry. Steph went off like a rocket.

He broke the kiss, letting her gasp for air as he tugged the neck of the sweater down. He began a rocking motion and fastened his mouth on the upper curve of one creamy breast, pulling hard on the soft skin, marking her. Her fingers tangled in his hair and he shifted to her nipples. Steph whimpered and began to undulate to meet his movements. It didn't take much more before they both came apart.

Ranger held her tightly, unwilling to let her go until well after both of their hearts had returned to normal speed. Even then he was reluctant, turning his face into her hair and whispering her name before his grip began to loosen.

They made the forty-five minute drive back to her apartment in less than thirty minutes. It turned out Stephanie had four shades of the 8-hour lipstick; the hot pink shimmer, a matte mocha, the blood red from Halloween, and a pale pink shimmer. She tried them all out. The mocha didn't show up, but the others glowed against his skin quite satisfactorally. By dawn, when they finally slept, Ranger's skin was colorfully marked in several interesting places. While he had enjoyed her experimentation, he hoped to god the lipstick would wash off the next day.

-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	32. Ch32 Sweet Sorrow

_**A/N: One step closer to the finish…**_

_Disclaimer: Same as for previous chapters_

-oOo-

_**Chapter 32 – Sweet Sorrow**_

Soap and water didn't work. A scrub brush might have helped, but there were certain parts of his anatomy that Ranger didn't particularly want to use a brush on. He'd rather live with the lipstick.

He was about to admit defeat when he heard Stephanie brushing her teeth. He shut the water off, pulled the curtain back, and gave her an exasperated look. She caught the look and looked back at him in puzzlement. Then her eyes slid down and she choked on her toothpaste.

Alternately coughing and giggling, she finally managed to rinse her mouth and regain control of her breathing.

The corners of Ranger's mouth were twitching even as he tried to look stern - not an easy accomplishment while he was still standing in the tub. "Okay, Picasso, if you're through laughing…"

Stephanie bit her lip but couldn't quite hide her snicker. And Ranger noticed she had smears of the lipstick on her face, too.

"There _has_ to be a way to get this off."

"Um," Steph said, struggling to keep a straight face, "you could let it wear off…"

Ranger grinned then. "Look in the mirror."

The look on her face at the sight of her reflection was comical enough to make him laugh. Stephanie immediately pulled a plastic softpack of make-up remover wipes from a drawer and used one to clean the multicolor smears off her pale cheeks and chin. Then she turned to smile at Ranger.

"Dry off a little and step out here where the light is better. This doesn't have to be rinsed off, but you can if you want to – it smells kind of feminine. But it works pretty well."

She demonstrated on one of the lip-prints on his chest. It did smell girly, but it took the lipstick off. There was just enough alcohol in the wipe to chill Ranger's skin, and Stephanie noticed the way his nipple tightened.

Ranger reached to take the wipe from her. Stephanie pulled it away and stepped back, at the same time putting the softpack behind her back. "I'll do it," she insisted. "I made the mess – I'll clean it up."

-oOo-

An hour and a half later they were tangled together on the bed still breathing hard when Ranger's phone rang. By the time he found it in his jeans pocket it stopped ringing, but it started again only a moment later. The conversation was short and Ranger hung up without saying goodbye. Not surprising.

The sigh that followed when he dropped his phone onto the bed was. Stephanie caught his change in mood immediately and got to her knees.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, worry in her voice.

"Nothing's wrong," he assured her, reaching down to draw her to her feet and into his arms. "It was just Tank. He called about airline tickets this morning."

Stephanie drew back slightly, wanting to see his face. She'd known this was coming. Her fingers tightened against Ranger's back unconsiously as she took a slow deep breath. "I know you have to go. You have a business to run."

Ranger's hands moved up to frame her face. "I don't want to leave you."

Her smile trembled ever so slightly. "You're not leaving me, you're just going back to work. Right?"

"Right," he agreed firmly, brushing his lips across hers and sliding his arms around her. "I would never leave you."

It took Steph a few minutes to be sure she had herself under control before she asked, "What time is your flight?"

"The only one they had open is tomorrow morning, five-thirty a.m." he said quietly. "We'll need to leave here by 0130 to get checked in and have our guns and equipment checked through."

Her eyes sought the clock. Although they hadn't slept long, it was already nearly two in the afternoon. Not much time left.

"The guys were hoping to spend some time with you this afternoon, Babe. Would that be okay with you?"

"Sure." Her voice wavered a bit in spite of her determination to sound cheerful. "Is there anything they'd like to do?"

Ranger smiled at her. "Hal wants to try fried pickles."

-oOo-

By the time they got dressed the guys were waiting outside in the back parking area. Bear was at his prep table when they walked through and waved them off cheerfully.

They walked the block or so to the deli under a sky filled with gray clouds. It suited the occasion, Steph thought, but she and everyone else seemed determined to be upbeat. And it wasn't as hard as she'd expected to push their impending departure from her mind for a while.

Lunch at the deli was fun, as the owners had a wide variety of things to try. The fried pickles were fun – everyone tried them, and most of the guys seemed to like them after they got used to the strange idea. They were an acquired taste.

Stephanie enjoyed watching the men exploring the street, ducking in and out of shops that caught their eyes. They all stopped at the coffee shop, getting hot drinks to warm them after the chilly Kansas wind.

"Does the wind ever stop blowing here?" Lester asked Steph when they went back outside.

She looked at him with surprise. "This isn't really what they call _wind_ here, Les. This is blocked by all the buildings." She turned to smile up at Ranger. "Let's take them to the river park, where they can see the sky and feel the wind."

They walked in the park for an hour, until the wind picked up and they sky began to darken.

"Looks like you might get to see a thunderstorm before you go home," she told them. The wind had started to whip around, changing directions capriciously as the clouds overhead thickened.

Since it was dinner time, they retreated to a restaurant to eat. Stephanie asked for a table near the windows so they could watch the storm roll in. Thunder had begun to rumble by the time they'd ordered, and it was becoming obvious that this was one of the storms Steph actually enjoyed. There was a lot of lightning but it was the cloud-to-cloud kind, not the kind that appeared to stab the ground. The rain, when it fell, was fairly light, but the booming deep thunder shook even the large plate-glass windows. It made their meal together seem especially cosy.

It was eight o'clock when they dropped Ranger and Stephanie off back at Bear's. The guys headed to their hotel to pack up their things and would be back a little after midnight to say goodbye and pick up Ranger.

As soon as they were in her apartment, Ranger turned to Steph.

"I had Tank bring your phone," he said gruffly, pulling it and the charger from his pockets. "The camera on it is pretty decent. We put a memory card in it and set it to store whatever pictures you take on the card, so if your phone gets broken you won't loose your pictures. Your number is the same. You can call your friends and family if you want, and let them know they can call your phone. I want to stay in touch. I want you to call me whenever you want." He paused, then continued. "I'll give you whatever time you need, but I need to hear your voice."

His voice had gone rough by the end, and it broke Stephanie's tight control. They reached for each other at the same time and spent most of the next four hours in constant contact – making love, kissing, or just touching. She would miss this closeness.

At midnight they got up. Ranger dressed swiftly and packed his things. Stephanie got dressed in the closet in an attempt to hide her tears. When they went downstairs at twelve-thirty her eyes were dry but her eyes and the tip of her nose were faintly pink.

The guys were already there, grouped together near the end of the bar. Several of them were having a drink or a beer. Bear stood behind the bar near them saying his own goodbyes.

The bar was mostly quiet for a change and Stephanie was glad as she went from man to man. She was nearly crushed by hugs and it was a constant battle against more tears. Tank was the last to hug her.

"Take care of him for me until I get back," she whispered as Tank's arms wrapped gently around her. "Please."

"Sure, little girl," he answered back just as softly. "Just don't take too long."

She smiled at him as she stepped back. "Give Lula my love, and tell her when I get back we'll take a day and catch up, go shopping." Her voice broke and Ranger turned her into his arms.

They walked together through the back room to the open back door. Bear stood there, watching as Hal, Lester, and Woody climbed into their rental SUV. Tank was loading Ranger's bag into the other one.

Stephanie stepped out onto the wet loading dock. The rain had stopped, and to the west the sky was clear enough to see the stars. The air was washed clean, sharp and with a bite of cold in the wind. Lights reflected on the wet blacktop.

Ranger and Bear came out of the doorway behind her. Bear offered his hand and Ranger took it, gripping firmly.

"You turned out pretty good, Kid," Bear said with a faint smile. "Don't be a stranger."

"Thank you," Ranger said quietly. "If you ever need anything, call me."

Bear stepped back into the doorway. Ranger walked to the steps, where Stephanie waited. He took one step down, his hand lightly touching her elbow, then stopped and turned to look up into her face.

Neither one of them said anything; their goodbyes had already been said. Stephanie cupped his jaw and met his kiss. They kept it brief but their lips clung for one extra moment. Then he walked to the SUV and got in.

Steph stood on the top step and watched as the vehicles moved slowly out of the lot and disappeared around the corner. She lingered for another minute, then took a deep breath and went back inside.

Bear was waiting beside the door. "Try to get some sleep, Jersey. Take your time."

She nodded and without a word she vanished up the stairs.

-oOo-

_**TBC…**_

_A/N: No hate mail, please! Have I ever let you down? _


	33. Ch33 There's Light At The End

_Disclaimer: I've forgotten how this goes…Oh, yeah – Ranger's not mine, damn it! Bear and the Babes' gang are, though, and so is the *ahem* plot._

_**A/N: Sorry for the LONG wait! I gave up on coaxing the muse with candy and promises and resorted to torture. Who knew the creature was so kinky?!! **_

_**Thanks to everyone who stuck around waiting for the rest of the story!**_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_Neither one of them said anything; their goodbyes had already been said. Stephanie cupped his jaw and met his kiss. They kept it brief but their lips clung for one extra moment. Then he walked to the SUV and got in._

_Steph stood on the top step and watched as the vehicles moved slowly out of the lot and disappeared around the corner. She lingered for another minute, then took a deep breath and went back inside._

_Bear was waiting beside the door. "Try to get some sleep, Jerzey. Take your time."_

_She nodded and without a word she vanished up the stairs._

_**Chapter 33 – There's Light At The End...**_

Stephanie tried. She went back to bed, burying herself in the bed she'd shared with Ranger and hugging his pillow. It didn't work. She missed him, his warmth and scent and the reassuring feel of his arms around her. She couldn't sleep, so dawn found her curled in the recliner by the window watching the clouds give way to the rising sun.

She must have dozed off finally; her phone rang just after nine, startling her awake. It was Ranger.

"I woke you up, didn't I?" he asked when she answered.

She couldn't lie. Her voice, husky from sleep, had already given her away. "Yes, but that's okay. I'm glad you called. I miss you already! Did your flight go okay?"

"Yes, we landed in Newark about five minutes ago. I sent the boys with Tank to get our gear picked up so I could call you in peace."

Stephanie's forehead crinkled slightly, trying to decide what he meant. "In peace? What do you mean?"

A thread of humor was in Ranger's voice as he answered. "When the sun was up enough to shine in the plane's windows I found out we missed some of your lipstick, Babe. Evidently there was _**some**_ glitter in that mocha one."

"Oops!" She remembered trying the mocha color on his neck, then abandoning it because it didn't show up against his skin very well. "Uh…who saw it?"

"Pretty much the whole plane after Lester noticed it and announced it to Tank."

"Oh, no! I'm sorry!"

"Hey, lipstick prints on my neck from a beautiful woman is **not** the worst thing I've ever had to live down," he reassured her with a chuckle. "At least it kept the flight from being boring."

They talked for a few more minutes, then Ranger reminded her she could call him anytime and they said goodbye.

Hearing his voice had made her feel better, and she went back to bed and finally slept for a while. It was just after noon when she woke up again and she went downstairs to eat lunch with Bear and reassure him she was alive and surviving. When she said she would be at work that night for moment he looked like he might argue. But he kept silent and she was glad. She needed to keep herself busy.

Upstairs, she cleaned the small apartment. She deflated and folded the air mattress and washed the sheets, leaving everything stacked neatly on the shelves in the laundry room. She straightened the furniture that had been shifted to make room and remade her single bed. It was almost as if nothing had happened.

Work was a welcome diversion. Bear had told her co-workers the entire story about the job in KC the night before – in detail, according to Angel - saving her from having to answer the same questions several times. Angel quietly asked if she was holding up okay but then she dropped the subject. They had become pretty good friends and Angel knew Steph would let her know if and when she needed to talk.

Since Ranger had brought her phone back to her, over the next few days she called her family and friends to catch up.

She called Valerie and found out she was expecting again, and that Albert had finally landed a few regular clients that kept comfortably busy.

Mary Lou's youngest had started school and now that the novelty of time alone had worn off, Mary Lou was getting bored and thinking about looking for a part-time job.

Lula was doing better but she still missed Steph, both at work and as a friend.

Ranger called at least once a day, usually around the time she usually got up, and they would talk for a little while. She knew he was taking time away from work to call her and she appreciated it, loved hearing his voice… but she still missed him. She missed talking to him and watching his face, missed his scent and his heat. And much as she hated to admit it, she found it harder to sleep without him than she thought she would.

By the end of the first week Stephanie realized she wanted to go home.

-oOo-

There was a lot to do if she wanted to leave. She needed to let Bear know so he could hire someone else – and she was finding that was harder to do than she thought.

But Bear had already figured it out. Three days later when she went downstairs, Bear introduced her to a woman in her late twenties with shadows in her eyes.

"Jerzey, this is Beverly," he said. His voice was somehow gentler than normal, as if he thought too loud a sound might spook her. Or maybe he was trying to tell Stephanie something. In either case, Steph quickly understood that Beverly _needed_ this job, as much or more than she had when she first arrived. She was running from something.

Stephanie took over from there. "I'm glad to meet you, Beverly. I'm Stephanie, but people call me Jerzey – or occasionally Devil," she added with a grin. "Let me show you around and we'll start you off easy. Have you ever waited tables before?"

Beverly hadn't, but she was a fast learner and by the end of the first night she was taking a few tables alone. Steph watched covertly, as did Bear. It was clear by closing time that she would be a good worker but she would need to work up to full nights alone.

It was not a huge surprise the next morning for Stephanie to find Bear putting the finishing touches on one of the apartments across the hall. It was slightly larger than Stephanie's and had two small bedrooms and a smaller living area. Bear was wrestling with a mattress when Steph opened her door. Well, she assumed it was Bear – all she could actually see was the mattress wedged into the doorway.

"You want some help with that?" she called out.

"If you could give it a shove—" came his muffled reply.

Steph got a grip on it and guided it through the door. "Just keep going," she told him with a smile, "I've got this end."

The full-size mattress went into the larger bedroom, and after helping get it onto the waiting box springs Stephanie looked around curiously. There was a chest of drawers and a nightstand in this room along with the bed. In the smaller room there was a twin platform bed similar to hers with drawers beneath and a small desk. The kitchen area had a table and two chairs nearly identical to the ones in Steph's apartment, and there was a sofa and mismatched end tables in the living room.

"When did you move all this stuff in?" she asked curiously. "And how did you get it all up here?"

Bear gave her a sheepish grin. "I took advantage of your friends while they were here," he admitted. "With them helping it took less than an hour. Now, I think it's livable – have I forgotten anything? I'm going to offer Beverly this place with a similar arrangement to yours, except on the books this time."

"She's got some trouble, too, doesn't she?" Steph asked, but it wasn't really a question.

"A bad ex. He's doing time in another state. She's got a kid to take care of and moved here to make a fresh start. She's going to school part time but couldn't make rent on a part time job and feed her kid, too. The little guy is only seven."

Steph wrapped her arms around Bear and hugged him tight. "You are such a sweet man, Bear."

She did a walk-through with him, noting that he'd remembered trash cans this time. She suggested an area rug in the living room, since kids tended to play on the floor and the hardwood was nice but would be chilly in the winter. She also suggested a couple of nightlights. There was a set of dishes and a tray of silverware and a few pots and pans in the kitchen. Stephanie brought over her coffeepot and some cups, and the little crock pot she bought but seldom used.

When they knew for sure that Beverly and her son were going to move in she went with Bear to Wal-Mart and shopped for some basics to get them settled; condiments, some juice boxes, a can of coffee and filters, toilet paper and tissues, bread, milk, lunchmeat, sugar, and a small selection of fruit. Steph ran back and added peanut butter at the last minute, making Bear laugh.

Beverly's son Stewart was a tall, thin child with a missing tooth and an engaging smile. He loved his new room immediately and thought the stairs were cool. Beverly was smiling more, too. Owl showed up, and he, Bear, and Stephanie made short work of unloading the rental van and getting them moved in.

Bear had given Beverly the night off to get settled, but she took the time to bring Stewart down the back stairs to the bar early in the evening and introduced him to everyone so he would know where she worked and be comfortable around them. Bear made them grilled cheese sandwiches and Doc made them strawberry milkshakes, and Stephanie knew they'd be well taken care of. Bev might not realize it, but she'd just gained a new family.

Thanksgiving was ten days away, and it became Stephanie's goal. In ten days' time Beverly and Steward should be settled in, Beverly should have a good handle on the job, and Steph would be free to go.

-oOo-

It was going to be hard to leave her new friends. Steph understood that, and so set out to make sure she had plenty of pictures in addition to the Halloween ones. She used the camera on her phone for some, and Bear took pictures for her and loaned her his digital camera, too. She also shopped for some sort of small gift for each one of them to remember her by. Some of them she searched for specifically – like the silver angel-wing necklace for Angel – and others she came across accidentally, like the small Norman Rockwell statue of a kid playing psychiatrist for Doc, and the Tootsie Roll Owl bank for Owl.

Wanting to do something special for Bear, she spent a dusty morning at the courthouse and came home with the blueprints for the building as his great-grandfather originally built it.

She wrapped the gifts, including in each a small thank-you note with her 'real' name and phone number so they could stay in touch. Then she piled them in a basket to be set aside until she left. The last job was sorting through what she'd accumulated, deciding what to take back with her and what to leave behind…

-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	34. Ch34 Fly Away Home

_**Disclaimer: I'm writing Santa again this year but so far only Bear and his friends belong to me. I want Ranger for Christmas! *sigh* But right now he and the other characters from the books belong to JE.**_

_A/N: Don't fall off your chairs! __ I don't ALWAYS take forever to update…!_

_I forgot to mention, the missed-lipstick idea in Ch33 was given to me by Tuck in one of her reviews. Thanks, Tuck!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 34 – Fly Away Home**_

When she tried to make flight reservations, Stephanie hit a snag.

"The only seats available are for flights on Thanksgiving day," she told Bear. She was in Bear's small office on the computer while he was looking for something in the bar's kitchen.

"Why is that a problem?" he asked.

"The airport buses don't run on Thanksgiving day." Frowning, she leaned back in the chair, thinking aloud. "I wonder how much a taxi to the airport would run?"

"I could drive you," Bear interrupted, leaning around the door facing.

Steph smiled up at him but shook her head. "You have enough to do without wasting that much time driving me around. I'll find a way."

"Well, doesn't Ranger have anyone here willing to drive you?" When her eyes slid back to the computer screen without an answer, Bear's eyes widened. "You haven't told him yet?"

"Actually, I haven't told anyone back in Trenton yet." She bit her lip and glanced up at him before she continued. "At first it was because I wanted to make sure Beverly was going to be ready by then and I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. Then I got to thinking about how many people would want to see me right away – my family, Lula, Mary Lou, and I hope Ranger. I thought maybe it would be easier if I just kind of showed up…"

Bear stepped through the doorway to lean against the desk where he could see her more clearly. "You're not worried about going back, are you?"

"No." Steph's answer was quick and decisive. "I want to go back." A brief grin flashed up at him. "I guess I've gotten used to having my way – I want to go back on my own terms. My way."

Bear chuckled, relieved. "Well, there's nothing wrong with that."

"Except that the airlines are not cooperating," she sighed.

"Let me make a call. I've got a friend that usually flies his plane up to Wisconsin for the holiday weekend - maybe he wouldn't mind company. From Millwaukee to Newark is a fairly short hop and maybe you'll have better luck with those flights."

Stephanie vacated the chair and went to help Beverly get the front ready to open. By the time they were through setting up the tables Bear was calling her back to the office. He still held the phone in one hand.

"Harry hasn't made any firm flight plans yet and would like company, so why don't you check and see if you can get one of those flights from Millwaukee. He says whatever time you want to go is okay with him."

Steph's fingers flew on the keyboard and quickly she was smiling. "I got one – the flight leaves Milwaukee at ten thirty. Is that too early for your friend?"

Bear spoke briefly, then chuckled. "Harry says he likes to fly early before things get too busy, so that's fine with him. Here – I'll let you talk to him about the details."

Harry had a whisky-and-cigarettes voice and sounded a lot like Kris Kristofferson. He flew out of the small airport in Lawrence, he said, so it wouldn't be any trouble to come by and pick her up on the way. Did she have much in the way of luggage?

"A small suitcase and a backpack," she said with a smile. "I've learned to travel pretty light."

With that arranged, there was little left to do. Steph spent one morning going through closet, putting aside what she wanted to take with her. She invited Beverly and Angel to go through what was left and take anything they could use. The remainder she took to one of the thrift stores.

She worked her regular hours up until Wednesday night. The regulars had heard she was leaving, so there were a lot of goodbyes and we'll-miss-yous, and more than a few photos taken. Steph managed to get through it without crying; well, without crying much. Wednesday morning she'd cleaned the apartment, washed the sheets and left them folded on the bed, and packed her bags. Harry would be coming by to get her about closing time, so she went upstairs, showered and changed an hour before. The knee brace and fanny pack with her cache of money were once again safely hidden on her person. Bear came up and carried her suitcase and backpack down.

Standing awkwardly in the back room of the place that had become a home, Stephanie gave Bear a tight, teary hug.

'You, David Strong Bear Navarre, are one of the best men I've ever met, and I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."

"Hey, now, no tears or you'll have me crying, too," Angel broke in, coming into the back from the bar. She enveloped Steph in a hug and gave her a smile that only trembled a little. "You know it's going to be awfully quiet around here without you, Jerzy. But I'm glad you're ready to go home even though we'll miss you. Because I know there's some people in Trenton that have been missing you, too. Good luck and have a great life." She finished with a fierce hug then she fled back into the bar.

Owl and Doc came out briefly to say goodbye in that stilted way young me do when they don't want to admit weakness. Only their hugs betrayed their stoic fronts.

Bear gave her a small scrapbook. Inside were some candid photos and everyone had signed it, most with little comments. The last two pages had everyone's address, phone, and e-mail info listed neatly in Bear's handwriting. "We made this for you and hope you'll keep in touch. And, of course, please come visit if you're ever this way again."

"I will," Stephanie promised. "I'm really going to miss you."

The buzzer at the back door sounded then. Bear moved toward the door. "This'll be your ride. Come on and I'll introduce you to Harry."

Harry looked the way he sounded – a lot like Kris Kristofferson. Shoulder length brown hair streaked with some gray, streaked beard, warm blue eyes and a tall lean build. There was a flurry of activity as introductions were made and Bear gave Harry instructions to take care of Steph. Then the bags were loaded and with a final kiss on the cheek Stephanie was gone.

As Bear locked the back door he sighed. "I'll miss you, too, Stephanie Plum."

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

It didn't take long at all to get to the small airport, and Harry drove his SUV right into the hangar beside a small plane. Stephanie didn't know much about airplanes, but this one wasn't tiny and it had two engines, one on each wing. Inside there was room for six people counting the pilot and co-pilot.

"You want to sit up front?" Harry asked. "I'd like to have someone to talk to but I know not everyone likes to have a front-seat view."

She hesitated. "Will I be able to change seats after we take off? I'd like to try it but I may freak out. I'm not a very good flyer."

Harry grinned. "You can change seats anytime, as long as we aren't getting bounced with turbulance. And you never know – you might like it. I started flying because commercial flights freaked me out."

Her luggage was stowed away safely with Harry's own and they climbed into the plane. Stephanie was very careful climing into the seat Harry indicated. She could look out the sides and see the propellers on the wings, and from the front there was little to obstruct the view. Her stomach gave a little nervous flutter.

Harry closed the door in the back and folded himself into the pilot's seat. He showed Stephanie how to put on the headset so she could hear and told her she could push the microphone up out of the way if she wasn't talking. As he started his pre-flight checks and made contact with the tower, she strapped her seatbelt on tightly.

"Ready?" Harry asked her a few minutes later. She nodded, and he started taxi-ing toward the runway.

It seemed to Stephanie like it took forever to get to the end of the runway and turn around, ready to take off. There was more chatter back and forth between Harry and the tower but she couldn't hear it for the pounding of her heart in her ears. Then the plane surged forward and the ground began to rush past faster and faster…and then they weren't on the ground anymore but airborne, the nose of the plane pointed toward the sky.

It wasn't as steep or as loud as a larger airline plane, and gradually Steph eased her death grip on the armrests of her seat. This wasn't so bad.

Harry chuckled after he glanced over at her. "See, it's not so scary."

"No… No, it's not." And she actually leaned forward a little to get a better look at the ground falling away below. It was late, and the city below already looked like a toy town all lighted up in the night. "It's beautiful."

And she was going home.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Stephanie tried to be good company. Harry was easy to talk to and they talked about a wide variety of things, but after two hours in the air she was fighting sleep. Harry showed her how to tilt her seat back a little, promised he'd wake her up if anything she shouldn't miss came up and she dozed off. She only slept for about an hour, though, and woke in time to watch the sun coming up.

By the time they landed in Milwaukee and got off the taxiway and to the hangar it was nearly eight. While Harry unloaded their bags and finished parking his plane, Stephanie stretched her legs. When he spoke to the airport official about refueling, though, she stepped in and handed over cash for his fuel. She did it so quickly Harry didn't have a chance to argue.

After a handshake and a bemused goodbye, Steph made her way from the hangar into the main terminal, found the desk for the airline she'd reserved a seat on, and paid for her ticket. There was time after that to get something for breakfast.

Oddly, the commercial flight no longer bothered her and once settled in her seat, she slept all the way to Newark.

The New Jersey airport was only moderately busy but the line for rental cars was long. Stephanie bypassed them and headed straight for the taxi stands. A taxi all the way to Trenton was going to be expensive but she didn't care. It was worth it.

There was slush on the roads and a light snow falling but it wasn't enough to bog down traffic. In the back of the cab, listening to the radio playing soft Jazz versions of Christmas tunes, Stephanie dug her makeup out of the backpack and looked in the mirror. She combed her hair and fluffed it with her fingers – it was nearly long enough to touch her shoulders now. She put on a little mineral makeup, a coat of waterproof mascara and a touch of eyeshadow. She didn't bother with anything else since she suspected she'd be shedding a few more tears before the day was over. Happy tears, she hoped.

By the time they reached the outskirts of Trenton the sky was gray and sullen-looking and the snow was falling a little thicker. It still looked good to Stephanie. Her heartbeat began to pick up speed as the cab slowed and turned off the highway.

Her fingers shook as she seperated bills from her stash. She looked at the meter one more time and folded the bills in her hand before looking out the window.

"Just drop me in front," she said. The cab rolled to a stop at the curb and she shoved the money through the slot, then opened the door and stepped out with her bags in tow. She looked at the lighted windows, took a deep breath, and started up the sidewalk toward the door.

-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	35. Ch35 Homecoming

_**Disclaimer: Characters from the books are property of JE and are used without permission (Ranger said it was okay!). Bear and the gang from Babes belong to me, as does the storyline.**_

_A/N: I didn't get as much as I wanted written, but I wanted to post something for you on Thanksgiving. Enjoy! And have a great day!_

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

_**Chapter 35 - Homecoming**_

As she reached the line where the light from the windows fell golden across the sidewalk, Stephanie stopped. Through the glass she could see Cal at the lobby desk and so far he hadn't looked her way. But above him she could see the security camera.

From the subtle pumping she'd done during phone calls to Lula over the past ten days she knew Ranger was working today, freeing those of his men with families to spend Thanksgiving at home. But where was he working? Was he tucked safely in his office, or was he on monitors where he'd see her enter the building?

One way to find out.

She dug her cell from her pocket and pressed speed dial.

"Yo, Babe." Ranger's voice was warm and he sounded pleased that she'd called. It made her smile in spite of herself.

"Hi, Ranger. I wanted to call and wish you happy Thanksgiving. Where are you?"

"At work, catching up on some paperwork."

"You didn't go see your family?"

"No today," he answered, and she heard the smile in his voice. "Now that we're grown and spread out, we've started having our family gatherings on the nearest weekend – except for Christmas, when we have our big dinner on Christmas Eve. It makes things a little less complicated for my sisters, who have to balance with their husband's families, too."

"Oh. I guess that does make sense." She said it calmly but she was mentally doing a happy dance. Her plan might work after all! "So, are you all alone?"

"No, there's a skeleton crew. Cal's in the lobby, Bobby's on the monitors, and I think Tank went downstairs to get the snack trays Ella left for us. What are you doing?"

"Standing outside watching it snow. Bear hired a new waitress for part-time work. Well, it's more like he's taken her in. She's got a little boy and she's trying to go to school, and she's just moved to Kansas because her ex is doing time in another state and she's making a fresh start. So Bear gave her the apartment across the hall and a job, and today he's cooking dinner for everyone."

"That was nice of him."

"Yeah. He may be a tough ex-SeAL, but he's a softy at heart!" She paused, then said, "Well, I need to get inside – it's colder than I thought. Is it okay if I talk to you again later?"

"Babe," he chided, "you know you can call me anytime."

"Okay." Then she added softly, "I love you, Ranger."

"I love you, too, Babe. I always will."

She didn't have to fake the sniff just before she closed her phone. It still made her emotional to hear those words from her own personal Man In Black.

Shaking back her hair, now slightly damp from melting snowflakes, and took a deep breath. It was time! With her backpack on her back, her purse slung over her shoulder, and her suitcase pulled along behind her, she headed for the doors.

As soon as Cal looked up at the sound of the door opening, Stephanie had one finger held up over her lips in the 'shhh' sign. He looked dumbstuck for a moment and then he started to grin.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Cal! Please call Bobby on monitors and tell him to keep quiet, please – I want to surprise Ranger."

"Sure thing, Steph," he said, reaching for the phone on the desk and punching in an extention number. "Yo, Bobby – zip your lip and look at the lobby monitor. Guess who's her to surprise the boss?" He laughed. "Yeah – don't make a sound, okay? She's on her way up."

He hung up the phone, still grinning, and came around the desk. "Want to leave your things with me? I'll bring them up in a little bit."

Smiling, she let him take the suitcase and backpack – he even willingly held out his hand for her purse. Then he surprised her with a quick hug. "Welcome home, Stephanie! Now go surprise Ranger."

Her hands were shaking slightly as she got into the elevator and pressed the button for five. Maybe partly because she was a little cold from standing outside, but mostly from nerves. She stopped herself from running her fingers through her hair – damp as it was, it might turn into an afro. She'd done her makeup in the cab and it was as good as it was going to get. She wiped damp palms on her jeans legs and shifted nervously.

The elevator stopped on four and she frowned; then the doors opened to admit Tank. He paused in surprise mid-step.

"Steph?"

The huge tray he was carrying dipped precariously and Steph reached to steady it even as she shushed him. "Yeah, Tank, it's me. I'm on my way up to surprise Ranger, so stay quiet, okay?"

His low chuckle rumbled in the confines of the space as he finished stepping in and the doors slid shut. "Well, I can tell you – this is one surprise he'll actually like!"

When the doors opened on five, Tank grinned and started humming to himself as he stepped out. Steph gave him a grateful grin, as the sound would cover her footsteps on the carpet. Tank carried the tray into the breakroom, still humming.

Steph walked as quietly as possible down the carpeted hallway. As she passed the monitor room Bobby flashed her a huge grin and a thumbs-up, which she returned with crossed fingers. Then she was there, standing just outside Ranger's open office door. With one last slightly-shaky breath she knocked on the doorjab and peeked inside.

Ranger was sitting at his desk in a pool of light from his desk lamp. His hair was tied back but he was in jeans, tennis shoes, and a dark wine polo shirt. He spoke without even looking up. "The door's open, you don't have to knock. What's up?"

Clearly he was expecting Tank or Bobby. She took a step inside and smiled. "I thought I'd come by and say Happy Thanksgiving in person…" she started.

Ranger's head shot up, then he was out of his chair and sweeping her into his arms before she could even finish.

"Stephanie—Babe!" And then he kissed her, his arms tight around her as if he was afraid she'd disappear.

It was quite a few minutes later that they finally broke apart, laughing and trying to catch their breath.

"I can't believe you're here, Babe. Why didn't you tell me you were coming? How did you get here?"

"I took a plane – I was too impatient for the bus."

He smiled, pulling her towards the sofa along the wall of his office. "I could have met you at the airport. I would have been happy to," he said as he sat and drew her into his lap, encircling her with his arms again. "Welcome home, _querida_."

Their kisses were interrupted sometime later by a deep chuckle coming from the doorway. "Yeah, I didn't think he'd mind this kind of a surprise…"

They looked up to see Tank, Bobby, and Cal crowded into the doorway, all grinning like fools. Ranger tried to scowl at them but Tank just chuckled again.

"Hey, we just wanted to tell you the food is set up in the breakroom, in case you or Steph is hungry. We're gonna eat."

Stephanie's stomach growled at the mention of food – she'd only had a bagel at the airport in Milwaukee since about seven the night before, and she _was_ a little hungry. So they headed to the breakroom with the guys.

Ranger paused when he spotted Stephanie's things sitting against the wall by the elevator. Stephanie followed his gaze and answered the eyebrow he raised in query.

"No one else knows I'm back, yet. I wanted to come here first…I thought I'd go to my parents' house a little later. Mom's big dinner is at noon, then around four she'll do snacks of the leftovers and have the big desserts. I thought that would be a good time to go."

Ranger looked at his watch. It was just after one-thirty. "Go to your parents' to stay, ot just to visit?" he asked softly only to her. The others were already in the breakroom.

"That depends."

"Stay with me." His voice was soft but almost fierce. "Move in with me, now, tonight. Please, Babe. I don't want to be without you any longer."

Steph bit her trembling lip, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I was hoping… I'd love to!"

Ranger gave a happy growl and hugged her tight, lifting her off her feet and swinging her around in a circle before bending to kiss her again.

From inside the breakroom Bobby called out, "Yo, Boss, Steph! Food! You can do that stuff later!" Smiling at each other, they ignored the laughter and teasing of the others as they joined them for their snack lunch.

By two-thirty Ranger had Steph and her things though the door of the seventh floor apartment.

"Is this all you brought, Babe? There isn't much here."

Steph shrugged. "When I was travelling I didn't need much, and then – well, I didn't collect much. I only brought what I wanted to keep and gave Angel and Beverly the rest." Her smile flashed briefly. "I figured Lula and Mary Lou would like to help me shop for some new things."

"I wouldn't mind helping, too," he said. "but in the meantime…we have an hour before dessert time at your parents'…" and he began to back her toward the bed. Stephanie laughed and went into his arms eagerly.

An hour wasn't nearly long enough for what he wanted, but now that she'd agreed to live with him he could be patient. For a little while. That wasn't to say he wanted to rush. He wanted to welcome her home.

He undressed her, his lips quirking when he discovered the fanny pack and the knee brace still stuffed with cash. He dropped them into the empty drawer in the bedside table and gave her a playful toss onto the bed before stripping off his own clothes. A moment later he was slipping between her parted legs, her arms coming around to pull him close.

"I missed you," he whispered, feathering gentle kisses over her face to her lips.

"I missed you, too," she whispered back. "But I'm back now. I'm here."

"Welcome home."

"I like the sound of that. But I'd like you to show me, too."

Smiling, Ranger complied, sliding deep and taking her home.

-oOo-oO-oOo-

They rinsed off in the shower an hour later without wetting their hair. Steph pulled a pair of black slacks out of her suitcase and paired it with a royal blue mockneck sweater. She was a little surprised when she went to get her makeup and found Ranger dressing to go with her.

"You're coming to the madhouse with me? Voluntarialy?"

He took a moment to pull her into his arms, smiling down into her face. "You're mine now, and I'm yours. That extends to family, too. So yes, I'm coming with you."

She smiled the entire time she did her makeup.

In the Turbo on the way, Ranger reached over and squeezed her hand. "Maybe you ought to give Lula and Mary Lou a quick call to set up your shopping trip. You know as soon as you show up tonight the rumors will start circulating, and you should tell them you're back before that."

"You're right." She called Mary Lou first, smiling at Ranger for his thoughfulness. Ranger heard the squeal across the car when Steph told her the news, but there was a lot of laughter involved even though Steph kept the call short. The call to Lula was almost a repeat, and Steph was laughingly saying goodbye when they turned onto Chambers Street.

The house was lit up against the gathering dusk. Val and Albert's minivan was in the driveway as Ranger pulled the Turbo to the curb. A light dusting of snow had started to fall again as Ranger came around and handed her out of the car, and they walked hand-in-hand up the walk.

Stephanie smiled as she saw her mother's face appear in the doorway. Her mother's radar amazed her. She saw puzzlement give way to surprise and joy and then her mother flung open the door, calling for Frank at the same time.

"You're home, you're home! My baby's home!" she was chanting as she rushed across the porch and out onto the snow-covered walk to wrap Stephanie in a tight hug. Ranger laughed and steadied the two women as Ellen's impact nearly knocked Stephanie down.

"I missed you, Mom," Stephanie said, leaning back to smile at her mother. She reached up to wipe a few tears off her mother's cheek. "I missed my family."

Ranger gently herded them back up the steps onto the porch out of the snow as Frank came out, followed by Grandma Mazur and Valerie. Ellen stepped back and let Frank hug his daughter. Then Grandma and Valerie took their turns and the Plums turned to Ranger.

"Did you bring her home?" Frank asked quietly.

"No. She came by herself and surprised everyone." He took a breath and took the plunge. "I've asked her to live with me, and she agreed."

It was Ellen who asked, not Frank as he'd expected. She tilted her head up at him and asked, "For how long?"

Ranger smiled and lowered his voice. "Until I can make it permanent."

Frank chuckled and shook his hand. Ellen enveloped him and a swift, tight hug, then just as quickly backed off. "Let's get inside," she said, smiling. "It's cold out here, and it's time for dessert!"

Indoors was chaos. The girls shrieked at the sight of Stephanie and came running to hug her, even Lisa on her chubby little toddler legs. Val helped peel them off, smiling, as she welcomed her sister home. Stephanie hugged Val then held her at arms' length to get a good look at her. "You're looking wonderful, Val."

Valerie flushed slightly and giggled. "Well, I think this pregnacy agrees with me better – so far I feel great. I'm hoping that lasts!"

The girls had belatedly noticed Ranger. Angie was staring at him with a faint frown, but Mary Alice threw her arms around his legs. "I remember you! You're Aunt Stepphie's friend!"

Ranger squatted down to her level and smiled. "That's right. Some people call me Ranger, but my name is Ricardo. And your name is Mary Alice, right?"

Her face lit up. "Yes! And this is my sister Angie," she indicated her older sister with a wave, then turned to look for Lisa. "And that's my little sister, Lisa. Angie says she's our half-sister 'cause we have different dads, but I she looks like a whole sister to me."

Lisa bounced off Val's leg, lost her precarious balance and might have fallen but for Ranger's quick reflexes. He caught her and steadied her on her feet, smiling when Mary Alice took her hand and led her back over to her high chair.

Ellen and Grandma Mazur started carrying desserts out to the table and the hubub died down a little as everyone gathered to choose what to have. It was quite a spread – pumpkin, apple, and cherry pies, a rich-looking chocolate cake drizzled with green mint icing, brownies, and for different kinds of cookies, as well as vanilla ice cream. The little girls were seated at the table; everyone else had dessert plates and could mingle.

Ranger accepted a slice of cake and a cup of hot cider. He sat next to Stephanie at the table for a while feeling warm and accepted, especially whenever she reached for his hand or offered him half her cookie. But when the talk turned to Val's pregnacy he wandered over to join Grandma Mazur and Frank watching the football game on TV.

"Stephanie has changed some, hasn't she," Grandma said quietly. "She looks happy now."

"I think she's happier," Ranger answered in a voice just as soft. "She needed a break from everything here and she was brave enough to take matters into her own hands. Even though it was hard for all of us left behind, I'm glad she did it." Edna Mazur seemed to have aged slightly, but he looked closer and decided she was thinner and looked tired. "You missed her a lot, didn't you."

"Yes, I did. I know she had to go – things here were awful for her – but I missed her. And I was very afraid I'd never get to see her again. I'm so glad she came home."

"Me, too. For both our sakes."

They left about eight, full of sweets, Stephanie carrying a bag of cookies and a large piece of cake wrapped on a plate. Ranger helped her get into the car without incident and was smiling when he got in on the drivers' side.

"I think that went pretty well," Stephanie said, still sounding a little surprised by the changes in her family. She had definitely been surprised by the apparent easy acceptance of Ranger in her life.

"I think missing you brought a few things into focus for them, Babe." He linked his hand with hers and rested it on her thigh, and was rewarded by a smile. "So, when are you going shopping with Lula and Mary Lou? Tomorrow?"

She shot a disbeliveing look his way. "No," she said, half-laughing. "Tomorrow is Black Friday – it'll be completely insane. I'm not going anywhere near a store until at least Monday."

"Well, if you're free…will you come to my family dinner on Saturday?"

He heard her take a deep breath, and then she squeezed his fingers. "What you said earlier, about families? I liked the sound of that. So yes, I'd love to go with you."

-oOo-

_**TBC…**_


	36. Ch36 Welcome Home

**Disclaimer: Bear, Babes Bar, and the bar crew belong to me; all other characters property of JE and used without permission just for fun.**

_A/N: I had hoped to have this out before Christmas - but you know how THAT goes! Anyway, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has stayed with me during my long hiatuses when my muse refused to speak. I appreciate all your support, your reviews, and your Private Messages! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and wish you the best in the coming year!_

**-oOo-**

_**Chapter 36 - Welcome Home**_

The drive back to the Haywood building passed in companionable silence. The evening had taken on a surreal quality in Stephanie's mind – like maybe she was dreaming. Being back in Trenton felt both strange and normal, as if the past months in Kansas hadn't been real. Or maybe she was still sleeping in the apartment above Bear's and had only dreamed she'd returned to New Jersey. But Ranger's warm strong hand was folded around hers and _that_ was real enough.

Once parked in the garage, Ranger opened her car door and took the bag of cookies from her, helping her out. She pinched herself on the arm as the elevator doors closed them inside. Ranger saw her do it and raised one eyebrow at her.

"Just checking," she explained. "I keep thinking I'm dreaming, that I'm not really back in Trenton."

"Why?"

"You're holding my hand," she started off with a faint smile. "You asked me to live with you, and spent time with my family without me even having to ask. My family was loud but unusually tame and nobody gave me the third degree over my lack of job or what I intended to do about it. And now you're voluntarily carrying _cookies_ into Rangeman."

His lips twitched. "Carrying? Babe, I'm stealing these – your mom makes good cookies."

Stephanie was startled into laughing and he smiled. "See?" she pointed out. "You, stealing cookies? I thought you didn't eat sweets!"

The door slid open on seven and he tugged her out of the elevator with him, leading her to his apartment door. "I like sweets. I just don't indulge very often."

They stepped inside and Ranger turned on lights, and they both stopped in surprise. There were helium-filled mylar balloons, fresh flowers, a covered plate of muffins, and several envelopes of varying sizes and colors laid out on the kitchen bar. Some of the balloons said "Welcome Home" and the rest were just brightly colored.

Stephanie's mouth dropped open and Ranger chuckled. "News travels fast," he said, taking the cake plate from her. "Four hours since you left this building and we've already been invaded," he said with a smile as he nudged her toward the bar. "I think those are for you."

She sank onto a stool and reached for the envelope propped against the muffin plate. Inside was a Welcome Home card from Ella and Luis. It said they had missed her and were glad to hear she'd come home.

The next envelope had what looked like a wiped-off spaghetti sauce stain on the front and was from Mary Lou. She said she was excited to go shopping and catch up on gossip, and that she wanted to hear all about the people Steph had met in Lawrence. One of the kids had drawn what looked like a woman with really curly brown hair in crayon. Steph guessed it was supposed to be her.

The yellow envelope held a bright neon orange card that immediately made Stephanie giggle. On the front was a cartoon chiuhuha quivering with excitement 'at the news she was back', and when she opened it there was a pop-up of the dog exploding in colorful confetti. As she'd guessed, it was from Lula.

Last but not least there was an envelope nearly eight by ten inches. The big card inside was covered with different inks and handwriting as all the Merry Men had added their own messages to the printed 'Welcome Home'. '_Missed you!_', '_Glad You're Home_', and '_Can't Wait To Catch Up_' were repeated in as many different ways as there were men at RangeMan.

Ranger handed her a tissue before she even realized she was sniffing back tears, and when she gave him an embarassed smile he pulled her off the stool and into his arms. She could feel his smile as he pressed kisses against her temple. "Just wait until tomorrow when the news hits the _rest_ of Trenton," he said dryly, which made her laugh again. She felt him chuckle, too.

A moment later he drew back slightly and tipped her face up. "Just for the record," he said soberly as he looked into her eyes, "no one missed you as much as I did."

Stephanie rose to her tiptoes and pressed herself closer to him. "I love you," she whispered against his lips and then she kissed him.

For one long minute Ranger let her have free reign; then he made a gruff sound deep in his throat and his arms tightened around her. He deepened the kiss, sliding his hands down her back and pressing her against his hardening body. Then he lifted her and drew her legs around his hips and it was her turn to moan.

By the time she realized he was moving they were in the bedroom next to the bed. Ranger loosened his grip just enough to let her slide slowly to her feet; they were both breathing hard. Only then did she notice that the bed was turned down. Candles in cut crystal bowls illuminated the room softly with only the occasional flicker. The air was fragarant with a scent Stephanie couldn't place - something soft and sensual.

Ranger didn't seem to notice the room at all; his eyes were only on her. Both of his hands were slipping beneath her sweater, stroking up the skin of her abdomen and ribs, pushing the sweater up and off. Her slacks fell to his caress next, then her bra, and finally she was lowered onto the soft sheets. He shed his clothes quickly and followed her down.

Steph reached for him immediately, wanting to pull him closer, but he evaded her efforts. He shifted lower on the bed and crawled between her legs, brushing kisses across her knees and working upwards very slowly. His hands traced down her calves to her ankles and encircled them playfully before sliding back up to tease the crease behind her knees.

"Ranger!" she protested, wriggling, when his lips reached her abdomen and his breath stirred the curls guarding her softest flesh. She growled in frustration when she felt him smile.

He could smell her arousal and his own flesh throbbed eagerly. But he didn't want to rush. He intended to give Steph a proper welcome home - and he'd savor every moment of it. Breathing deeply, he deliberately directed his exhale to fan the flames. Her low growl made him smile as he began to brush kisses across her tender skin. When she squirmed he meerly upped the torment, nipping, licking, sucking...

Slipping further, he braced one arm behind her nape and his free hand traced up her thigh as his mouth sought and found her breasts and her hardened nipples. She arched her back to press closer to his mouth and spread her legs in invitation.

When his fingers began to play in her wetness, barely touching her, she began to writhe and he stretched up a little more to kiss her and rescue her lip from her teeth.

"Please, Ranger... Please," she begged against his mouth. The desperation in her voice had him nearly jerking against her leg.

"There's no hurry, Babe," he soothed gently.

"I want you _now_..."

"We've got all night..."

"_**Now**_!" Stephanie gave a barely coherent cry of protest, twisting, shoving, and arching against him--

And found herself on top, looking down into Ranger's very startled face. For one microsecond they were both frozen and she wondered if she looked as surprised as he did; and then they both broke into laughter.

Ranger's laugh ended in a gasp, though, as Stephanie took advantage and slipped over him, rocking back hard to take him deep.

Reflexively, Ranger's hands caught at her hips, pulling her tight to him as he arched up, thrusting even deeper, a low garbled cry torn from his throat. It wasn't in English but Stephanie didn't need a translation to get the gist.

She tightened her thighs and pushed up and let Ranger yank her back down. Gasping at the speed and depth she repeated the action, each time a little faster. Each time a little harder. Until they were both out of control and straining-- and then release came and they were locked together, writhing in ecstasy and fighting for breath.

Stephanie collapsed and let herself slide to the mattress at Ranger's side, still gulping air. Ranger recovered faster. He rolled over, rearranged Steph's body against the pillows, and climbed back between her legs.

"Okay, you had your turn," he said, his voice low and rough. "Now it's mine." He pushed back into hot, wet flesh still quivering with aftershocks.

Stephanie arched beneath him with a low moan that sounded almost as if she was in pain - but the way she wrapped herself around him proved otherwise. "Oh my god, Ranger!" she cried out.

"Yes, my Babe - welcome home..."

**-oOo-**

_The End~_


	37. Epilogue

_A/N: I almost forgot - I intended to tie up a few loose ends with an epilogue, so here it is. Thanks to all my wonderful online friends, especially Alf and Sharon who I most recently called on to help beat the last chapter out of my muse. Thanks, ladies!_

**-oOo-**

_**Epilogue**_

_The day before New Years' Eve__, in Lawrence..._

Bear was working in the prep area of the back room when Angel let herself in the back door. "Hey, Angel," he greeted her as she shed her coat, hat, and gloves.

"Hey, Bear. Are you expecting something? There's a UPS truck pulling in to the back lot."

"Maybe it's the DVD's I ordered for Christmas finally showing up," he joked, smirking. He nodded toward the door as the buzzer rang. "Would you get it?"

Angel opened the door to the familiar uniformed man carrying a large package and a UPS envelope.

"I have a delivery here for David Navarre," the man stated. "It requires a signature."

Bear sighed, dried his hands and stepped forward to take the electronic pad. "I'm Navarre," he said as he scribbled his name on the touchscreen.

The UPS man looked at the signature, touched something that beeped to save it, then smiled. "Then these are for you." He leaned the large, flat package against the wall next to the door, handed the envelope to Bear, grinned at Angel, and left.

Angel looked at the large package and then at the envelope in Bear's hand. "Um, neither one of these look like DVDs."

Bear found the zip strip and ripped the envelope open, reaching inside to pull out a thin sheaf of papers. Paperclipped to the top was a pale blue sheet. Turning it right-side up, Bear quickly read through the cover letter. Then he staggared back a step and sat down hard on the stool next to his worktable.

"What is it?" Angel asked, worry clear in her voice. "What's wrong?"

The chuckle startled her, being basically the opposite of the reaction she had been expecting. But she took the papers when Bear pushed them at her as he headed for the package.

She tried to skim the words of the cover letter but was distracted by Bear tearing open the cardboard box. _'...by signing this....Devil's Fund....Fifty thousand dollars....' _"Bear, what does this mean?"

"It means both Jersey and Ranger are crazy, but in a good way," he said distractedly as he pulled something wrapped in bubble-wrap from the box and began to unwrap it.

It turned out to be two framed posters, and when Bear turned them around for Angel to see her grin grew from ear to ear. One poster was of Stephanie dressed up as the Jersey Devil for Halloween - and Angel wondered who had taken it, because it was from when Stephanie was 'modelling' her outfit for them before the bar opened. The other poster was a collage of pictures of Stephanie from New Jersey intersperced with newspaper headlines. At the top, in large type, was one that said "The Bombshell Is Back!" There were pictures of burning cars, pictures of Stephanie tackling men much larger than herself, a couple of pictures of her dressed for distractions, one with a group of big men dressed in black, and near the bottom, one of Stephanie with Ranger's arm around her, both of them smiling.

"Oh, wow!" Angel breathed, and Bear grinned proudly.

"But what about this? I don't understand it," she said as she returned to the sheaf of papers.

"Basically, they've set up a charitible trust called the Devil's Fund, to be used to finish the apartments up on the third floor and to help other people who need it - like I helped Jersey and now Beverly. All I have to do is sign the papers and I'll have access to a start-up of fifty thousand dollars, with an additional ten thousand a year to keep it going." He looked up to find Angel gaping at him wide-eyed. "Yeah," he sighed, "I miss them, too." He handed one frame to Angel and picked up the other and headed for the door into the bar. "Come on - let's find a good spot for these..."

**-oOo-**_The End _**-oOo-**


End file.
